India's philanthropy story is usually told from the top down.
It features corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets, billionaire pledges and splashy foundations. But a new report argues that the real engine of Indian generosity is far more prosaic - and vastly larger.
The How India Gives 2025 report, produced by the Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP) at Ashoka University, challenges the conventional narrative that organised, institutional money dominates the country's giving landscape. Instead, it points to a quieter colossus: households.
According to the report, India's total household giving is estimated at 540bn rupees ($6bn) annually, including cash, in-kind contributions and volunteering.
About 68% of respondents report giving in some form. Of this, 48% is in kind - such as food, clothing or other household goods - followed by cash donations (44%) and volunteering (30%) with non-profits, religious institutions or community groups.
