WASHINGTON (TIP): Over 40 Indian Americans figure in the 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List recognizing one hundred Indian and diaspora leaders who have made a significant impact with their philanthropic contributions and engagement.

Indiaspora, a nonprofit community of global Indian leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, released their list of those who are making a difference through their giving at two virtual sessions on Thursday.

Both launch sessions, focused on the Diaspora and India, featured conversations with honorees and leaders in the philanthropy ecosystem.

Prominent Indian Americans on the list include Anna and Raj Asava, Founders, HungerMitao USA, Ajay Banga, Executive Chairman, Mastercard, Deepak Chopra Founder and CEO, Freedom Employability Academy USA, Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman, Founders Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation USA and Vinod Khosla, Founder, Khosla Ventures.

“It is incredibly inspiring to see so many philanthropists from our community who have translated their success into social impact,” said Indiaspora Founder MR Rangaswami. “These leaders serve as an example of the importance of generosity and remind us of the many issues that need our attention.”

With guidance from nine jurors and drawing from multiple sources, including reputed studies, earlier verified lists, and publicly shared documents, Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List recognizes Indian and diaspora leaders across the globe for their philanthropic contributions and engagement, according to an Indiaspora media release.

“It was very gratifying to be a part of this effort, and I appreciated the careful consideration given to each honoree by those who were involved,” said Sara Kalim, Director of Development at Somerville College and one of the jurors.

“As someone who works in the development space, I see firsthand how philanthropy can transform lives for the better. This list shines a light on the tremendous power of giving.”

With more than 32 million people of Indian origin globally, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest diaspora population in the world.

Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List includes philanthropists from India (26) and from geographies with significant diaspora migration, including the United States (43), the United Kingdom (17), Canada (5), the United Arab Emirates (8), Singapore (10), and Australia (2).

Several of these philanthropists stepped forward to give during the Covid-19 crisis.

“Covid-19 taught us that businesses, nonprofits, government, and philanthropy all play a critical role in lifting the communities they serve and operate in during times of crisis,” said Prem Watsa, Founder and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings and one of the honorees on the List.

“Indiaspora’s Philanthropy Leaders List serves as a reminder to the diaspora to continue the important work of giving even once the crisis abates so our communities can meet future challenges.”

The List includes names from various industries including technology, entertainment, finance, and the law, among others, who are using their philanthropy to address issues such as access to healthcare, quality education, water and sanitation, arts and culture, food insecurity, and employability.

“I hope the diaspora will continue to give forward, and even more boldly,” said Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson of sustainable water and sanitation nonprofit Arghyam, who is also an honoree on the List.

“It is both inspiring and critical to resolve many old and emerging societal challenges in India.”

Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is one of several of the organization’s philanthropy-focused initiatives.

Other initiatives include ChaloGive, an online giving campaign that raised more than $3.5 million in 2021 to provide COVID relief in India, and the Philanthropy Summit, an annual event that brings together nonprofits, foundations, philanthropists, and others in the social impact space to share learnings regarding Indian and diaspora philanthropy.

“This is a transformative moment for philanthropy,” said Ashish Shah, Senior Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Indiaspora.

“The purpose of our philanthropy work is to galvanize the Indian diaspora to elevate its level of giving in the next decade, and Indiaspora’s 2021 Philanthropy Leaders List is an important step towards building a culture of philanthropy.”

Indian Americans on 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List
1. Monte Ahuja, Chairman and CEO, MURA Holdings, LLC USA
2. Anna and Raj Asava, Founders, HungerMitao USA
3. Ajay Banga, Executive Chairman, Mastercard
4. Manoj Bhargava, Founder and CEO, Living Essentials,
5. Aneel Bhusri, Co-founder and CEO, Workday
6. Allison Bhusri, Founder, Lemonade Capital USA
7. Sumir Chadha Co-founder and Managing Director, WestBridge Capital Partners USA
8. Deepak Chopra Founder and CEO, Freedom Employability Academy USA
9. Bharat Desai and Neerja Sethi, Co-founders, Syntel, Founders, Desai Sethi Foundation USA
10. Desh Deshpande, President and Chairman, Sparta Group LLC, Co-founder, Deshpande Foundation
11. Jaishree Deshpande, Treasurer, Sparta Group LLC; Co-founder and Trustee, Deshpande Foundation; USA
12. Anil and Gautam Godhwani, Co- founders, Simply Hired, Habitera, and AtWeb; Co-founders, India Community Center
13. Prabhu and Poonam Goel Co-founders, Foundation for Excellence USA
14. Vijay Goradia, Founder, Vinmar International Ltd; Goradia Capital Co-founder, Pratham
15. Marie Goradia, Co-founder, Pratham USA
16. Raj Gupta, Chairman, Aptiv PLC, Avantor Inc, Founder, Ujala Foundation USA
17. Venky Harinarayan, Founder, Junglee & Kosmix, Founding investor, Efficient Frontier Co-founder, Cambrian Ventures USA
18. Frank Islam, Founder, FI Investment Group, Founder, QSS Group
19. Debbie Driesman, Vice President, Frank Islam and Debbie Driesman Foundation USA
20. Vinod Khosla, Founder, Khosla Ventures
21. Neeru Khosla, Co-founder and Executive Director, CK-12 Foundation USA
22. Lata Krishnan, Co-founder, Krishnan-Shah Family Office, Founder & Co-chair, American India Foundation
23. Ajay Shah, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Silver Lake Sumeru USA
24. Dinakar Singh, Founding Partner, TPG-Axon Capital, Co-founder, SMA Foundation
25. Loren Eng, Co-founder, SMA Foundation USA
26. Deepak and Neera Raj, Founder & Managing Director, Raj Associates, Chairman, Pratham USA and Indian Philanthropy Alliance USA
27. Anand Rajaraman and Kaushie Adiseshan, Founding Partner, Rocketship.vc, USA
28. Raju Reddy, Founder and former CEO, Sierra Atlantic Co-founder, Kakatiya Sandbox USA
29. Rao and Satya Remala, Founders, Satya and Rao Remala Foundation USA
30. Nalini Saligram Founder and CEO, Arogya World USA
31. Manu and Rika Shah, Co-founders, MSI, Sarva Mangal Family Trust USA
32. Sanjay Shah, Founder, CEO, and Chief Architect of Vistex; Founder, Vistex Foundation USA
33. Ram Shriram Chair and Trustee, Dhanam Foundation USA
34. Chandrika Tandon, Founder and Chair, Tandon Capital Associates
35. Ranjan Tandon, Founder and Chairman, Libra Advisors USA
36. Romesh Wadhwani, Founder and CEO, SymphonyAI Group, Founder and Chairman, Wadhwani Foundation USA
37. Sunil Wadhwani, Managing Partner, SWAT Capital, Founder Donor, WISH Foundation (Wadhwani Initiative for Sustainable Healthcare) USA.