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Social Impact Investor India is part of who I am, and I care deeply about the issues shaping its future. Climate change, women’s development, and the digital divide all hit close to home for me. If my support can help a woman claim her rightful place in society, help a community adapt to climate challenges, or help someone get access to technology that will improve their lives, that feels meaningful. Giving back is my way of staying connected to my roots and contributing to t

Filmmaker and Development Sector Professional The natural world has been a constant source of joy and wonder in my life — forests, birds, animals, and the quiet beauty of landscapes remind me how much richness exists beyond our own lives. And it has given unconditionally, asking nothing in return. Increasingly I feel that we give no space to these living systems, almost no voice in the decisions that shape their future. Forests are cleared, habitats shrink, and species disa

Development Sector Supporters We've chosen not to have children. With this has come the realisation that we would have more resources than we would need – and a certain responsibility to use them well. Through #LivingMyPromise, we’re hoping to find avenues to help create a more equitable society. - Sanjana & Rishabh

After three decades of global experience in the IT industry, I chose a higher purpose dedicating the rest of my journey to social entrepreneurship that empowers the youth of this country through rural education and large-scale societal awareness initiatives that inspire behavioral change. Through the VIMOVÉ Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit organization, I am committed to creating meaningful social transformation. Our mission is to reimagine rural education through the C

Artist - Context Architect - Coach Throughout my life, I have felt three profound divides that trouble me deeply, the ego divide, the social divide, and the spiritual divide. My work with tribal communities and youth has shown me that beneath all of these lies a fourth, hidden silent and yet powerful, financial divide, which quietly fuels and sustains the other three. This work has made one truth undeniable, the earth belongs to no one. We are each temporary stewards, playin

Radiologist Throughout my career I have been meeting people from all walks of society. In India there is a large section of society that is struggling to eke out a living and lack the capacity to give their children the opportunity to live a fulfilling life and earn a decent living. Many people lack access to healthcare and are driven to poverty because of healthcare costs. Despite official statistics there are a large number of people living below the poverty line. They are

Dr. Akhil Shahani is the Managing Director of The Shahani Group and a prominent education entrepreneur in India. He has pledged to donate over 50% of his net worth to philanthropic causes through the LivingMyPromise initiative. The First Generation: Charity Born from Struggle My grandfather arrived in India from Sindh after Partition, carrying little more than resilience. Out of the chaos of displacement, he founded the Shahani Trust, dedicated to helping poor Sindhi migrant

Educator & Storyteller I am signing #LivingMyPromise because I believe education is the most powerful equalizer. Too many brilliant minds in India are held back, not by lack of talent, but by lack of opportunity. I know this pain personally, and I want to ensure that no child’s potential is left unrealized simply because of where they were born or what their family could afford. Through the Trust I have created with like-minded friends, I am committing 96.86%of my wealth to

Mudar Patherya, an LMP Promisor, has pledged to dedicate half his wealth to philanthropy and continues to live this commitment through his work in Kolkata. From restoring heritage buildings to rejuvenating public spaces, he has been at the forefront of citizen-led urban renewal. A former cricket journalist turned communications consultant, he also founded Kolkata Gives to connect donors with grassroots NGOs, ensuring that giving creates tangible impact. Every Indian city has

Bharati Dasgupta, co-founder and former trustee of Catalysts for Social Action, has dedicated decades to advocacy for adoption and institutional-child care, transitioning from the corporate world to a lifetime of social impact. She is also one of the earliest signatories of the LivingMyPromise initiative. When givers, doers, and dreamers come together for a cause, a Collective is born; an alliance that turns scattered efforts into lasting impact. This is my story of why Col

Not yet ready yet to commit 50% of your wealth? Not ready yet to commit 50% of your wealth? You can still get going with your giving journey—right now, right where you are. We often think of giving as something reserved for the ultra-wealthy or as a milestone to reach once everything else is sorted in life. Or we think “I can do a little, but let me first be sure I can afford to give more”. But the truth is, giving can—and should, in most cases, be far higher than where it cu

When I left the boardrooms of global corporations, I didn’t walk away from ambition — I redefined it. It was a journey that led me to discover the diversity and inequality in India, to forgotten schools in rural India, and to the quiet courage of non-profit leaders fighting every day to change lives with far too little support. I realised that true wealth lies not in what you accumulate, but in what you enable for others. That’s the philosophy behind my philanthropy today — t

Board Member and Coach We are very aware of how blessed and privileged we are for the opportunities life has afforded us. We also realize that we have amassed more wealth than what we need to lead the rest of our lives comfortably. Hence, it is now time for us to divert it to opportunities where the need and its ability to create meaningful impact, is higher. Over the past few years, we have proactively exposed ourselves to the social sector, contributing our time and resour

It began, like most good things at LivingMyPromise, with a conversation. At the LMP Annual Meet in Bangalore earlier this year, a group of Promisors—individuals who have each pledged to give away at least half their wealth to causes they care deeply about—gathered to discuss a challenge that many in the development sector face but few talk about openly. An NGO secures funding. Agreements are signed. The intent is clear. And yet, the funds don’t arrive on time. Stuck in corpor

Solving for unemployment I’m signing up for #LivingMyPromise because it feels like the right thing to do. I’ve been lucky enough in life to realise that I’ve had support systems many others don’t. Over the years, I’ve worked closely with young people, vulnerable communities, and causes that remind me daily how uneven the playing field really is. If I can enable a few more lives—human or animal—to live with dignity, hope, or even just a fighting chance, then this promise is no

Company Secretary, Writer and a Professional Social Worker I am joining LivingMyPromise because I come from a world where every rupee mattered, every single paisa was spent in a very judicious manner, to make ends meet. I have known what it feels like to have little and to wonder if dreams are only meant for others. But I have also been fortunate that life has brought me to a place of abundance. And I carry both those worlds within me every day. The shift from scarcity to sta

We were delighted when a company requested us to train girls for different roles. The company had never hired girls or girls with disabilities before. This was our first all-girls batch. So, they arrived from remote villages. Some, over 60% disabled, came in on all fours. They were too poor to afford calipers, they said, and had learned to walk using their hands. Dull, listless faces, crushed by a society, where if you are a girl, rural, poor and disabled, it meant four blows

Venture Capital "It's uncomplicated. I'd like to make the world a better place in whatever ways I can. My wealth is one of the resources I have available to do this, hence this promise." - Sheetal Bahl

I grew up in a small town in India and was exposed to human suffering quite early. When I started my career, I decided to do something for the under-privileged kids who used to beg on the streets while my son used to sit next to me in the car. This realization of inequality and the role that education plays in one's growth led me to start a foundation to bring under-privileged kids into the schooling system - from my first stock grant in 2013. I always wanted to do something

People often whine about comparing apples and oranges, but the REALITY is that we actually do make that comparison several times every single day in our lives. Occasionally, we do it literally when we go to the market to buy fruit- and decide whether to buy apples or oranges! But more often, it is choosing between going out to dinner or a movie instead. Watching something on Netflix v/s scrolling through reels on your phone or reading a book. There are 2 ways to compare appl