Seven Indians on Forbes Asia's list of philanthropists

Washington, Aug 27: Seven Indians feature in Forbes Asia's ninth annual Heroes of Philanthropy list, highlighting some of the region's most noteworthy givers from 13 countries across Asia Pacific.

Among them is Kerela-born entrepreneur Sunny Varkey, who in June this year pledged at least half his estimated $2.25 billion dollar fortune to charity as part of the Bill Gates and Warren Buffet-led Giving Pledge initiative.

Besides Dubai-based Varkey, whose GEMS Education runs 70 private schools in 14 countries, the list features six other Indians.

Four of Infosys's co-founders - Senapathy Gopalakrishnan, Nandan Nilekani, S.D. Shibulal and Mohandas Pai - feature on the list for their independent contributions to the fields of health and education.

Their funding has helped projects which include medical research, education, children who live in poverty and care for the elderly, Forbes said.

The fifth Infosys co-founder, NR Narayana Murthy, is represented on the list by his son Rohan for donating $5.2 million to Harvard University Press for the promotion of ancient Indian literary classics.

The other Indians on the list are London-based brothers Suresh and Mahesh Ramakrishnan, founders of Whitcomb & Shaftesbury tailors on London's Saville Row.

The brothers have spent nearly $3 million to train more than 4,000 people in tailoring over the past decade in India.

Beneficiaries include fishermen hurt by the 2004 tsunami as well as destitute and abused women.

For the first time, the list features a philanthropist from Nepal. Billionaire Binod K. Chaudhary has been supporting rebuilding efforts in the country ever since the April earthquake.

He has pledged $2.5 million for the rebuilding of homes and schools in the Himalayan nation.