Skip to main content

Indian developer donates $US50 million to The Rotary Foundation

By

Declaring that “giving is a duty,” longtime Rotary member Ravishankar Dakoju pledged that he and his wife and fellow club member, Paola Dakoju, would donate approximately US$50 million (4.5 billion Indian rupees) to The Rotary Foundation. Dakoju announced the gift at Rotary’s International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 13 January.

“Years ago, Paola and I shared a dream: that one day, when we had enough to live with dignity, we would return 85% of our wealth back to society,” said Dakoju, a member of the Rotary Club of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. “My friends, that day has arrived.”

Dakoju, who serves as The Rotary Foundation Arch Klumph Society ambassador for Asia, spoke about his belief that philanthropy is a personal responsibility and explained his and Paola’s determination to give away their surplus wealth.

“What we keep may serve only our family, nothing beyond that. What we give The Rotary Foundation will serve humanity,” he said.

Ravishankar and Paola Dakoju stand onstage at Rotary’s 2026 International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, 13 January 2026. Ravishankar announced he and Paola would donate approximately US$50 million (4.5 billion Indian rupees) to The Rotary Foundation.

Photo by Monika Lozinska. Credit/Copyright: Rotary International.

Dakoju told assembly attendees how his life experiences led him to commit to philanthropy. He described how his father, who had donated all of the family’s land to poor farmers, died suddenly when Dakoju was age 10. Dakoju recalled how he, his mother, and his six siblings were left with less than US$2 in the bank. He said he failed in school and misbehaved, even leading a street gang, before he earned a college degree and eventually co-founded Hara Housing & Land Development Ltd. Now it’s one of the leading land developers in Bangalore.

Dakoju also found Rotary. He was impressed by Rotary’s values of fellowship and service, and as his business grew, they supported The Rotary Foundation. In 2018, they committed to donating approximately US$14.7 million (1.3 billion Indian rupees) to the Foundation. It was one of the largest contributions in the Foundation’s history.

“Whatever I have achieved so far came from the kindness of people, the grace of life, and the opportunities Rotary brought into my world,” Dakoju said at the assembly.

Dakoju has funded global grants and other programs in his district and worked on numerous service projects. In August, he pledged to match donations of up to US$50,000 (4,500,000 Indian rupees) for each district in India that created pooled endowed funds to support environmental and education-oriented initiatives. He also participated in a five-year project to plant 10 million saplings in Karnataka state.

At the assembly, Dakoju emphasized the connection between his commitment to Rotary and his philosophy of giving.

“Rotary gave me new life, new purpose, new friendship, new meaning, and a global family,” he said. “And life has taught me this beautiful truth: When you give more than you think you can, life returns to you more than you can ever imagine.”

Learn more about The Rotary Foundation.

— January 2026