Corporate philanthropy: How India Inc's big hearts are paying back society

Worth Rs 1,560 cr last year, with a per-donor contribution of Rs 40 cr, corporate philanthropy is more about professional involvement today, than symbolic dole-outs

Any drawing room conversation on philanthropy would be incomplete with the omission of some of its biggest advocates and practitioners such as George Soros, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.

But what's the scene in India? While corporate leaders are generally admired for their business acumen and the fact that they are, well, super successful, you wouldn't miss the occasional whisper about their being a greedy, self-indulgent lot who dodge taxes and who couldn't care less for the communities they are working in. Why do you think CSR norms were forced down their gullets, some might ask.

The ground