VP Nandakumar, MD and CEO of Manappuram Finance Ltd, was honoured with the 2025 EdelGive Hurun India Award for Exemplary Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility at a ceremony in Mumbai.
The award, presented by EdelGive Foundation CEO Naghma Mulla and Hurun India Founder Anas Rahman Junaid, recognises leaders whose philanthropic initiatives have made a significant impact across India. The ceremony also honoured other prominent figures, including Shallu Jindal of the Jindal Foundation and Zarina Screwvala of the Swades Foundation.
Upon receiving the award, Nandakumar said, “It is a profound honour to receive this prestigious award. I am truly humbled by this recognition of Manappuram Foundation’s philanthropic efforts. We have always believed that making a difference in even one person’s life is a success in itself. Thank you for your unwavering trust and support.”
Manappuram Finance Ltd, through its CSR arm, the Manappuram Foundation, has been at the forefront of philanthropic work in India. Established in 2009, the Foundation was created to consolidate and expand the company’s community initiatives, which predate the statutory CSR mandate in India. Mr. Nandakumar, who also serves as the Foundation’s Chief Patron and Managing Trustee, has guided its mission to “build healthy, educated, and happy communities.”
The Manappuram Foundation has implemented a wide range of welfare programmes, particularly in health and education for disadvantaged groups. Among its flagship initiatives is the Janaraksha Manappuram Free Health Insurance Scheme, launched in 2010. The scheme provided free health insurance to around 20,000 Below Poverty Line families in Thrissur’s coastal regions, reimbursing nearly ₹11 crores in medical expenses over seven years. This initiative notably preceded the launch of the Government of India’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance programme in 2018.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Valapad, Thrissur, Manappuram Finance Ltd is a leading gold loan Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) in India. The company, promoted by Mr. Nandakumar, has roots in the gold loan business dating back to 1949. Manappuram Finance went public in 1995 and is listed on the stock exchanges of Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi.
The India Philanthropy Summit and Awards, co-hosted by Hurun India and EdelGive Foundation, continues to highlight the growing importance of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy in shaping a better future for communities across the nation.
