PETALING JAYA: Malaysian power couple Brahmal Vasudevan and Shanthi Kandiah are among the new additions in Forbes Asia’s list of the most altruistic persons in the Asia-Pacific region.
Brahmal, 54, the founder and CEO of private equity firm Creador and Shanthi, 53, the founder of boutique competition and regulatory law firm SK Chambers, are among the 15 individuals or couples who made it to the Heroes of Philanthropy list this year.
The couple have supported the local communities in Malaysia and India through the Creador Foundation, a non-profit they co-founded in 2018, according to Forbes Asia.
In May, they pledged to donate RM50 million to underwrite the cost of building a teaching hospital at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) campus in Kampar.
The couple had stepped in on learning that Utar had only managed to raise half the sum needed to build the non-profit facility.
Once completed in 2023, it will provide affordable healthcare for the under-privileged.
The couple also donated £25 million (RM133.5 million) to the Imperial College London to create the Brahmal Vasudevan Institution for sustainable aviation. The objective is to pioneer technologies to help the aviation industry make the transition to zero pollution.
Heading this year’s list is Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group and the richest person in India. Also on the list are his compatriots HCL Technologies co-founder Shiv Nadar and Happiest Minds Technologies executive chairman Ashok Soota.
Australia is represented by graphic design firm Cava co-founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, Karoi Capital founder Geoffrey Cumming as well as trucking giant Linfox founder Lindsay Fox and his wife Paula, who is director of the Fox Family Foundation.
From Hong Kong are private equity firm EQT Asia chairman Jean Salata and his wife Melanie who is trustee of the Salata Family Foundation, CK Hutchison Holdings senior advisor Li Ka-Ching, as well as brothers Ronnie Chan, who is chairman of Hung Lung Group and Gerald, the co-founder of Morningside Group.
Fan manufacturer Hatari Electric founder Joon Wanavit is Thailand’s most altruistic, private equity firm MBK Partners co-founder Michael Kim is South Korea’s man on the list and Japan is represented by Rakuten Group founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani and Reiko Fukutake, the executive director of Rei Foundation.
Singapore has ARA Asset Management co-founder John Lim and his son Andy, who is group CEO of JL Family Office.