New Delhi

Mangalore-based Shabana Faizal has emerged as the youngest woman among India’s top 10 philanthropists, according to the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025.

She has donated ₹40 crore (approximately $1.5 billion) through the Faisal & Shabana Foundation to education, health, and social development.

Shabana Faisal's journey from being raised in a small town in Mangalore to co-leading a global enterprise is about he hard work and ambition.

Her entrepreneurial journey began in 1995 as a retailer of unique, speciality and luxury products. After leading the company for eight successful years, she decided to team up with her husband, entrepreneur Faizal Kottikollon, and support him in running the world-class foundry, Emirates Techno Casting (ETC).

Shabana took charge of all human resources and administrative processes at ETC, where she created a significant impact in shaping the company’s business success.

In her role as Vice Chairperson of KEF Holdings, she is actively involved in guiding the business’s growth strategy across global markets. Deeply committed to social improvement, Shabana and her husband founded the Faizal & Shabana Foundation in 2007, with the vision of ‘Giving to Create Impact’.

At 53, Shabana's work has placed her among some of the most influential women in India's philanthropy world, including Rohini Nilekani, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Bina Shah.

EdelGive Foundation, in collaboration with Hurun Research Institute, recently released the 12th edition of the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025.

The list honors India's most generous individuals and families. Over the past three years, 191 philanthropists have donated a total of ₹10,380 crore, representing an 85% increase in contributions.

The education sector continues to lead as the top donor, receiving ₹4,166 crore from 107 donors.

Shabana is the mother of four children – Sophia, Sara, Zakaria, and Zarina – but continues to play an active role in business and philanthropy. Her work makes her one of India's most influential female philanthropists, exemplifying how professional leadership and a commitment to giving can combine to create widespread social impact.

READ MORE: Business leader Sirajuddin Qureshi changed mindset on women's education

The EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025 states that the top 25 donors contributed ₹50,000 crore in just five years, or an average of ₹46 crore per day. Mumbai leads in philanthropy, contributing 28% of total donations, followed by New Delhi and Bengaluru.