New Delhi, 20 February, 2026: The Centre for Social Impact & Philanthropy (CSIP) at Ashoka University, Delhi-NCR has released the third edition of its report, How India Gives 2025–26, highlighting the scale and patterns of everyday household giving in India. The study estimates that India’s household giving ecosystem is worth approximately ₹540 billion annually, with 68% of Indians contributing in some form through cash, in-kind support, or volunteering.
Based on 7,225 nationally representative surveys across 20 states and anchored to National Sample Survey (NSS) consumption data, the report provides detailed insights into how ordinary Indians engage in philanthropy alongside CSR and institutional giving.
A key finding of the study is the predominance of informal giving. Nearly 45.9% of contributions flow to religious organisations, while 41.8% go directly to individuals such as beggars. Only 14.9% of donations reach non-religious organisations. The report notes that this distribution presents both challenges and opportunities for strengthening structured social impact pathways.
Jinny Uppal, Director & Head, CSIP, said, “How India Gives 2025–26 brings visibility to a form of generosity that has always existed in India but is rarely measured. Everyday giving — through in-kind support, cash contributions and volunteering — is foundational to India’s development story. By anchoring our analysis to national consumption data and tracking patterns over time, we are able to understand not just how India gives, but how giving evolves as the country develops. The opportunity ahead lies in strengthening the bridges between everyday generosity and organised social impact.”
Praveen Khanghta, Chief Operating Officer, The Convergence Foundation, added, “The ₹540 billion in annual household giving estimated by this study is both encouraging and instructive. It tells us that generosity is widespread, but it also reveals how little of this flows to organised, non-religious institutions. For India’s development journey, the opportunity lies in respecting the culture of everyday giving while making it convenient, empathetic and impactful”.
The report finds that in-kind contributions account for the largest share of giving at 46%, slightly higher than cash donations at 44%, while around 30% of respondents reported volunteering. In-person canvassing remains the most effective engagement channel at 25%, followed by social media at approximately 15%.
Importantly, giving cuts across income groups. Even among households with monthly consumption of ₹4,000–₹5,000, about half report contributing. Participation rises to 70–80% among higher-consumption households.
Prof. Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Ashoka University, Delhi-NCR, said, “As a research-led university, Ashoka is committed to generating high-quality evidence that deepens understanding of India’s social dynamics. How India Gives 2025–26 exemplifies this commitment by combining rigorous methodology with public relevance.”
The report also identifies four donor archetypes — Grassroot, Aspirational, Practical, and Well-off givers — offering behavioural insights to design more inclusive engagement strategies and strengthen India’s participatory giving ecosystem.
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