For Sawai Padmanabh Singh, Philanthropy Means Serving His People
Robb Report India speaks with Sawai Padmanabh Singh on what philanthropy means to him, and his learnings.
By Tanya Malik
Jan 7, 2026
At the Jaigarh Heritage Festival, one of his many efforts to revive and celebrate historical spaces, we caught up with Sawai Padmanabh Singh to understand his perspective on philanthropy. He highlighted his collaboration with his mother’s Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF), which works to bridge gender inequality and empowers women through education and healthcare. As Robb Report India brings you stories of impact, we delve into Sawai Padmanabh’s thoughts on philanthropy.
Robb Report India (RRI): What are some charitable causes that are close to your heart?
Sawai Padmanabh Singh (SPS): Our family is closely involved with The Princess Diya Kumari Foundation. It works primarily in the field of women's empowerment. For more than 10 years now, first with the effort of my mother and now with the effort of my sister, hundreds of women have been empowered and brought to a place where they are able to attain financial independence themselves. And I think this is an area where we have a lot of work to do.
My family came here many years ago, and the most important thing that is being passed on is the quality of being a public servant. The feeling to serve people in whichever way has been very strong and rampant in our family. My mother does so by being in politics, her father did so by serving in the Indian Armed Forces, and then his mother was involved in politics as well. All of us, in our own little way, want to continue to serve people in one way or another.
RRI: What does Philanthropy mean to you personally, and what has it taught you?
SPS: It’s really to serve your people. We are lucky to have the privilege; giving back is something that, unfortunately, not many people do in our country. To encourage people to look at those who are less fortunate than they are. And the joy of our efforts through PDKF and our other ventures has been very rewarding. We also need to ensure real impact through our efforts. PDKF has been our driving force, also helping us know that what we are doing is a key turning point. I would also like to encourage more people to contribute in their own ways.
RRI: Where do you think India stands in terms of giving today?
SPS: Like anything else, we can always do better. There are some incredibly generous people doing some really kind work, but there is always scope for improvement.