Bridging the Gap? The New Philanthropy in India

As home to a growing number of “super-rich,” a vastly expanded middle class, and the world’s largest population of malnourished children, India must find alternate ways to address its burden of chronic poverty. Philanthropy’s role in economic development in India cannot be discounted, especially given what is hopefully the beginning of a sustained trend of both increased quantity and quality by new, wealthy and young philanthropists.  Having benefited from India’s economic liberalization, these young philanthropists are ready to give back to Indian society in a way that helps to fill the void of an over-burdened bureaucracy.

In addition to a new trend in philanthropy, India’s Unique Identification project also has an important role to play in reducing poverty and increasing service delivery.  By linking healthcare, food rations and bank accounts directly to the intended user, India’s government can plug some of the leaks in the pipeline of services to the poor.