India’s social sector stands at a tipping point. Despite economic uncertainty and the continuing impact of COVID-19, Indian philanthropy has continued to grow. Alongside that growth have come new understandings of how philanthropy can make a difference in society – of how funders can have an impact with their gifts. The wealthiest givers will play a pivotal role in whether Indian philanthropy achieves its potential for social impact. Consider what might happen if the wealthiest in India donated the same percentage of their net worth per year as their peers in the United States? Under that scenario, in which India’s growing middle class and mass affluent also increase their giving, total giving would reach $58 billion in 2026.

In this report on the future of Indian philanthropy, we focus on two especially large and important categories – the wealthiest givers and corporates, through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) investments – and how they can achieve much more impact with their giving. Based on our conversations with 61 donors, NGO leaders, CSR heads, and sector experts about what’s driving their giving and how they’re seeking to make a difference, we consider whether such an extraordinary level of growth could actually happen, and we document some themes that emerged from our conversations.

Read the full article about the future of domestic philanthropy in India by Anant Bhagwati, Karan Singh, Sudarshan Sampathkumar, Sambit Patra, Jasleen Kaur at The Bridgespan Group.