Rohini and husband Nandan Nilekani had signed the Giving Pledge in 2017, committing half of their wealth to philanthropic causes.
Rohini Nilekani (Image: ATREE website)
Philanthropist Rohini Nilekani has pledged Rs 50 crore ($ 6.8 million) to Bengaluru-based ATREE (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment).
Of the total pledge amount, Rs 25 crore is a direct grant and the balance is matching funds for new grants ATREE raises from other sources, the environmental think tank said in a statement.
“Now more than ever, we require institutions that serve as an important bridge between academics, civil society and policymakers, bringing insights from long term research and data to support relevant decision making and shaping public discourse,” said Nilekani.
“We are grateful to Rohini for placing ATREE in the perfect position to embark on significant action research initiatives to help redefine ‘development’ by building on the core research that we have conducted over the past two decades,” ATREE founder Kamal Bawa said.
Nilekani, a member of ATREE’s Board of Trustees, is the wife of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani.
She is the founder-Chairperson of Arghyam Foundation, a non-profit organisation that focuses on water and sanitation issues. Rohini and Nandan Nilekani had signed the Giving Pledge in 2017, committing half of their wealth to philanthropic causes.