Rohini Nilekani (born 1960) is an Indian writer, author and philanthropist.[1] She is the founder of Arghyam Foundation, a non-profit that focuses on water and sanitation issues, founded in 2001.[2][3] She also chairs the Akshara Foundation, which focuses on elementary education.[4] Nilekani serves as the co-founder and director of non-profit education platform, EkStep.[5][6] She is chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.[7]
Rohini Nilekani | |
|---|---|
 Rohini Nilekani in January 2013 | |
| Born | 1960 (age 63–64) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Other names | Noni |
| Alma mater | Elphinstone College St. Xavier's College, Mumbai |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, Philanthropist, and former Chairperson of Arghyam Foundation |
| Organization(s) | Infosys, Arghyam Foundation, Akshara Foundation, Pratham Books, EkStep, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies |
| Notable work | Stillborn (1998) |
| Television | Uncommon Ground (NDTV) |
| Spouse | Nandan Nilekani |
| Website | rohininilekani |
Early life
Rohini grew up in a middle-class family in Mumbai, India. Her father was an engineer and her mother a homemaker. She holds a degree in French literature from Elphinstone College.[8]
Career and work
After completing her studies, Rohini started working as a reporter at the now-defunct Bombay Magazine in 1980 and later worked in Bangalore for Sunday magazine.[4]
In 1998, she released her first novel, Stillborn, which was published by Penguin Books. Stillborn was a medical thriller novel and was well received by the readers.[6] She has written and published her own children's stories, Sringeri Series, published by Pratham Books, a non-profit publisher of children's books, which she co-founded in 2004.[6]
_to_Bettiah_(Bihar)_to_create_awareness_about_sanitation,_in_New_Delhi._The_Actress_and_Sanitation_Ambassador.jpg)
Her second book, Uncommon Ground, a nonfiction work based on her reporting as an anchor of the 2008 Indian TV program of the same name. Uncommon Ground was also published by Penguin Books in 2011.[9][6] In 2001, Rohini Nilekani founded Arghyam Foundation, a non-profit that works on water and sanitation issues and is funded by her personal endowment.[4]
Nilekani is on the board of trustees of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).[10] She serves on the Eminent Persons Advisory Group of the Competition Commission of India since May 2012.[11] In July 2011, she was appointed as a member of the Audit Advisory Board of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.[12] She was inducted as a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2017.[13]
She took retirement as the chairperson of the Arghyam Foundation in September 2021.[14] Nilekani currently supports 80 civil society organizations working on climate change, gender equity, justice, governance and animal welfare.[15]
Published books
| Year | Title | Publishing house | International Standard Book Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Stillborn | Penguin India | ISBN 9780670085620 |
| 2011 | Uncommon Ground | Penguin India | ISBN 9788182638945 |
| 2020 | The Hungry Little Sky Monster | Juggernaut Books | ISBN 9789353451349 |
| 2022 | Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar: a citizen-first approach | Notion Press | ISBN 9798887336947 |
Philanthropy
In April 2001, Nilekani founded Arghyam with a personal endowment of ₹150 crores.[16] Nilekani is also a philanthropist and pledged ₹50 crores to Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).[17] In December 2013, Rohini and her husband, Nandan Nilekani donated ₹50 crores to the National Council of Applied Economic Research to build a new India center at its New Delhi campus.[18] In August 2013, she sold 5.77 lakh shares in Infosys to raise about ₹164 crores for philanthropic work.[19] She was named as one of Asia's Heroes Of Philanthropy by Forbes Magazine in 2010 and 2014.[20][21] She supports around 80 civil society organizations, working in climate change, gender equity, independent media, governance and the animal welfare sector.[15] She won the Best Grassroots Philanthropist at Forbes India Leadership Awards in March 2022.[15] She received the Philanthropist of the Year 2020-21 Award from the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).[22]
In October 2022, the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2022 was released, featuring rankings for both male and female philanthropists, with Rohini Nilekani topping the list of women philanthropists by donating ₹120 crore in the financial year 2022. Her donations were primarily focused on the areas of education and environmental sustainability.[23] In November 2022, Rohini Nilekani along with Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Kris Gopalakrishnan collectively donated ₹51 crore to Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB), a not-for-profit public institution for research-based engagement.[24]
In April 2023, Rohini Nilekani, through the Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Foundation, made a donation of ₹100 crore to the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru to support and accelerate research and treatment in five major areas of mental health.[25][7]
Personal life
Rohini is married to Nandan Nilekani. She met him at a quiz competition at her college in 1977. The couple has two children, Janhavi and Nihar.[26] Her daughter Janhavi Nilekani is the founder of Aastrika Foundation which works in the field of maternal health.[27]
References
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