 "Nikhil Kamath, Co-founder and CIO, True Beacon and Zerodha")
Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, joined a number of wealthy people around the world in signing the Giving Pledge and pledging to donate 50 per cent of his money to philanthropic causes, such as addressing climate change, advancing education, and improving healthcare.
In 2010, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates launched the Giving Pledge project.
"I am committed to positively impacting the world. The mission of creating a more equitable society aligns with my values and aspirations', Kamath in his pledge letter.
Kamath is the youngest Indian philanthropist on the Giving Pledge, and the only Indian in the list of signatories this year.
The other Indians who have signed the Pledge in the past include Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, founder of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and co-founder of Infosys, respectively; Azim Premji, chairperson of Wipro; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD, Biocon; Anil Agarwal, founder and chairman, Vedanta; PNC and Sobha Menon of Sobha Developers; and health care barons Dr BR Shetty and Dr CR Shetty.
The other Indians who have signed the Pledge in the past include Rohini and Nandan Nilekani, founder of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies and co-founder of Infosys, respectively; Azim Premji, chairperson of Wipro; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD, Biocon; Anil Agarwal, founder and chairman, Vedanta; PNC and Sobha Menon of Sobha Developers; and health care barons Dr BR Shetty and Dr CR Shetty.
Nearly 241 philanthropists from 29 countries have signed up for this year, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Canva co-founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht.
Kamath, along with his brother and Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath, donated Rs100 crore of personal wealth in 2022, as per the EdelGive-Hurun India Philanthropy List 2022, which was a 300 per cent increase from the year before.
He has launched the Young India Philanthropic Pledge (YIPP), where signatories, all under 45 years of age, will pledge 25 per cent of their wealth with a minimum spend of Rs1 crore per year.
The brothers, in 2021, had announced to pledge a quarter of their personal wealth to philanthropy, with plans to give back Rs 750 crore over the next three years.
