There is something quietly moving about watching someone treat giving as a personal calling. I felt that same shift while speaking with Kulsum Shadab Wahab about her long-standing philanthropic work for women in India. This month, as we celebrate the season of giving at Robb Report India, I speak with Kulsum, whose commitment needs little introduction. For years, the Indian philanthropist has worked tirelessly for the welfare of survivors of acid attacks, disfigurement, and emotional and physical violence. In this exclusive conversation, she shares what philanthropy has taught her, the moment that first sparked her instinct to give, and the core causes that continue to fuel her purpose.
Robb Report: What has philanthropy taught you?
Kulsum Shadab Wahab: It has taught me that strength looks different on every woman and that healing is not linear. It has shown me the quiet power of resilience, the courage in vulnerability, and the profound impact of simply being present for someone. Philanthropy has also taught me humility: you do not “save” people; you walk beside them as they rebuild themselves.
Robb Report: What are some causes you are involved with?
KSW: My core work has always been with survivors of acid attacks, disfigurement, and emotional and physical violence. Alongside this, we at Hothur Foundation provide education, medical aid, and essential infrastructure in under-resourced communities. The quiet pillars that allow families to survive, rebuild, and eventually thrive. Through the Hothur Foundation and Ara Lumiere, we focus on rehabilitation, therapy, surgeries, livelihood, and long-term empowerment. Children’s education and disability support are deeply important to me as well. But the cause closest to my heart will always be restoring the dignity, identity, and voice of women who have survived unimaginable brutality … and reminding them that their story did not end where their trauma began.
Robb Report: Do you remember the first moment in your life that sparked your instinct to give?
KSW: Yes, long before I knew the word philanthropy. I understood what it meant to witness pain and want to ease it. I remember being very young and feeling an instinctive pull to comfort, to protect, to help. That early sensitivity shaped my path. My work today is really just an extension of that child who felt deeply and wanted to show up for others. Being raised in an environment where contribution was woven into daily life shaped me deeply. I have always been on the giving end, and the joy it brings me is something unparalleled. I am someone who genuinely feels happiest when I can ease someone’s burden or bring a moment of light into their life. My work today is simply the continuation of that child who felt deeply and wanted to show up for others.
Robb Report: How has your approach as a philanthropist evolved through the years?
KSW: When I began, my instinct was simply to help respond to immediate needs. Over time, my work has become far more structured, intentional, and rooted in long-term impact. I’ve learned that true empowerment comes from giving women the tools to rebuild their lives: economic independence, therapy, skill-building, and a safe space to heal. Today, my approach is holistic, not just the trauma, but the identity, confidence, and future of every survivor we work with.
Robb Report: India ranks 57 on the World Giving Index. What do you think we should do as a nation to boost this number?
KSW: India has generosity woven into its culture, but what we need is awareness, transparency, and trust. People are willing to give when they know their contribution is creating real change. We also need to normalise conversations around giving, especially among younger generations. Philanthropy isn’t only for the privileged; it starts with compassion, volunteering, and showing up. If we build stronger systems, greater accountability, and more visible impact, India’s natural heart for giving will rise in every metric.
Robb Report: What kind of legacy do you hope your giving will leave behind?
KSW: I hope my legacy is not in buildings or projects, but in women’s lives. I want survivors to look at themselves and see possibility, not pain. I want to build a world where a woman’s face, her identity, her choices, her dignity cannot be taken from her. If my work inspires even one person to show up with compassion, courage, and consistency, then that is the legacy I want to leave, a legacy of restored hope and empowered futures.
