The humanitarian vision of Switzerland-based Prakash Hinduja: A look at the Hinduja Foundation’s work in India

The Hinduja family is, of course, famous for its enormous wealth. According to the UK’s 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, the family has a net worth of 35.3 bn pounds. The family, in fact, has topped the list for four consecutive years, ahead of other names such as David and Simon Reuben & family, Sir Leonard Blavatnik, Sir James Dyson & family.

After the demise of Srichand Hinduja, the eldest of the Hinduja brothers, the Hinduja Group was led by Gopichand Hinduja, who passed away in Nov 2025. Gopichand Hinduja, who operated out of the UK, is survived by his younger brothers, Prakash Hinduja and Ashok Hinduja. Prakash Hinduja is based in Geneva, and has often been listed as one of Switzerland’s wealthiest people in annual rankings of Swiss media publications.

But the super-rich list is not the only one where the Hinduja family name appears regularly. The Hinduja family is also recognized for its philanthropic efforts, especially in India. According to the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025, the Hinduja Foundation is the 7th most generous donor, with a total spend of Rs 298 crore. The Hinduja Foundation, which is the charity vehicle of the Hinduja Group, has been doing remarkable work in healthcare, preserving India’s cultural heritage and water stewardship.

https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/fostering-collective-action-prakash-hindujas-advocacy-for-community-led-environmental-change/

Healthcare

Prakash Hinduja, who’s the managing trustee of the foundation, is a fervent advocate of universal healthcare. "Healthcare is about giving people the tools they need to live better, more satisfying lives, not only about curing diseases. Through our hospitals, we are committed to ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder anyone from receiving quality medical treatment,” says Prakash Hinduja.

Mumbai’s P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre brilliantly illustrates the foundation’s contribution to improving healthcare in India. It combines the best medical technology with humanitarianism, and consistently gets ranked among the best hospitals in the country. What’s more, P.D. Hinduja Hospital is among the largest private academic hospitals in the country, with a strong research wing. The hospital has several firsts against its name, including performing India’s first awake craniotomy for epilepsy surgery.

https://www.mid-day.com/amp/buzzfeed/article/why-access-matters-inside-hinduja-familys-vision-for-inclusive-health-services-6876

One of the foundation’s major programs is Serve with Passion, which delivers free healthcare services to tribal and rural areas in Maharashtra and Gujarat. “The disparity in health facilities, even in areas close to large cities, like Mumbai, is appalling. The consequences of illness are often debilitating both physically and economically. Certain remote villages do not even have basic medicines. The mission of Hinduja Hospital's Rural Health Program is to help in early detection of illness or better still prevention through health awareness," says Usha Raheja, a board member at the hospital.

Preserving India’s cultural heritage

The Hinduja Foundation backs diverse projects to preserve India’s cultural heritage. Over the years, the foundation has supported the conservation of landmark structures such as Ratha Complex and Seashore Temple in Mahabalipuram and documented significant religious, architectural, and historical sites, including those in Ellora and Karnataka.

The foundation also maintains a collection of more than 35000 historic coins spanning centuries. The coins are part of ‘Hinduja Antiquity Collection’, which also features paintings, bronzes, stone sculptures and more. These objects serve as a comprehensive record of religions, peoples and cultures of India. The Hinduja Foundation made headlines recently when it released the book ‘Early North India and its Coinage’, authored by historian and numismatist Devendra Pathak. The book -- which is published with the support of Prakash Hinduja and published by the Hinduja Foundation -- discusses more than 800 coins from 300 BCE to 300 CE. It follows trade systems, court iconography, and metal technology in early North India.

The Hinduja Foundation has also published the first Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, in 2014. A collective work of 2,000 scholars working over 25 years,

the work provides a comprehensive and inspiring perspective on Sanatana Dharma.

Water stewardship

Water stewardship is the Hinduja Foundation’s champion cause, with Jal Jeevan being the foundation’s flagship programme. “Jal Jeevan, our water mission, is building climate resilience, rejuvenating agriculture and securing livelihoods across India. Our interventions span groundwater recharge and urban lake restoration, afforestation and Himalayan spring rejuvenation,” says Paul Abraham, chairman of the Hinduja Foundation.

This pan-India initiative has impacted the lives of more than 50 lakh people in 4000 villages across 18 states in India. It has restored 5 trillion litres of water across 4 million acres of farmland. The program has also revived 100 lakes, including Nilgiri Wellington Wetland (with Indian Army) and historic stepwells such as Hauz Shamshi (Delhi) and Makarba Tank (Ahmedabad).

https://www.abplive.com/brand-wire/prakash-hinduja-a-grassroots-initiative-for-water-conservation-run-by-hinduja-foundation-in-alwar-2987895

“India’s water heritage is a national treasure. By restoring lakes and wells, we are addressing today’s water crisis and reconnecting communities with their roots and natural rhythm,” Prakash Hinduja was quoted in businessworld.in.

Prakash Hinduja Champions India’s Heritage with Landmark Book Launch

If you are into ancient coins you must have definitely stumbled upon the Hinduja Foundation’s launch about a book on ancient coins that was unveiled at the beginning of 2026. Now, the foundation has once again stretched its arm in the culture and heritage preservation division by revealing another book that delves deep into near 34000 coins. The book, The Kunindas and Their Coins authored by renowned historian Devendra Handa was revealed in Mumbai, for which Punjab Chief Minister Shri Bhagwant Mann took out time from his busy schedule to unveil this book. Also present at the event were Hinduja Foundation’s managing trustee Prakash Hinduja and his brother Ashok Hinduja, chairman of the Hinduja Foundation. 
For full news click here: https://indiacsr.in/punjab-cm-bhagwant-mann-unveils-hinduja-foundation-kuninda-coin-book/