Nikhil Kamath stated that living in Bengaluru and being around these Giving Pledge signatories prompted him to consider making the most of the money he has and is likely to gain in the future.
Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, stated that his friends Nandan Nilekani, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, and Azim Premji influenced him to become a philanthropist. All four have joined the Giving Pledge, with Nikhil Kamath becoming the youngest billionaire to vow to donating the bulk of their money to address society’s urgent issues.
“There are four people in India who have signed the Giving Pledge, three of whom are really good friends of mine.” And Bangaloreans would understand since they are all from Bangalore. We’re all good buddies. “Me and Kiran share an apartment…we all get together once a month for dinner or travel,” Kamath said at the NAS Summit, which was hosted by YouTuber Nuseir Yassin.
When Yassin questioned why he was giving away his riches rather than conserving for future generations, Nikhil Kamath replied, “When you are growing up, you look around you…You meet three or four persons in the cultural construct around you, someone more popular, someone with more money”
He stated that being in Bengaluru and being around these Giving Pledge signatories prompted him to consider making the most of the money he has and is likely to gain in the future.
“I believe that everyone should recognize and comprehend the concept of mortality.” We are all so afraid of thinking about it that we never talk about it, but when you hang around with folks in their 70s and 75s, it hits pretty early in life. You are working backwards since everyone has a clock. I am 37 years old, and if the average Indian lifetime is 72 years, I have 35 years remaining.
There is no use in keeping money in banks…So I’d rather contribute it to causes I believe in. So, rather than leaving the money I’ve made over the previous 20 years and what I’ll earn over the next 20 years to a bank or similar entity…”I’d rather make the most of it,” says the author.
Warren Buffett, Melinda French Gates, and Bill Gates founded the Giving Pledge to establish a norm of charity among the ultra-wealthy. It was primarily focused on the United States, but it gradually gained support from donors all around the world.
“As a young philanthropist committed to positively impacting the world, I am humbled and grateful,” Kamath said in a letter to the Giving Pledge’s three founders.
“My values and aspirations are aligned with the mission of creating a more equitable society.” He stated that he was very interested in contributing to climate change, energy, education, and prosperity.
