Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd was an undeniably successful company. Successful enough that it allowed Azim Premji to live a comfortable life as a child in India, and later to have the enviable experience of studying engineering at Stanford University. But when his father suddenly passed away in 1966 during Azim’s senior year, it fell upon him to pick up the mantle and ensure that the company’s success would continue unabated. There was a need for leadership, and Azim quickly proved that he understood what had to be done. He used the opportunity to find more success than his father could ever have imagined.

Despite taking the reins at the young age of twenty-one, Azim had a head for business, and a sixth-sense for the best way to leverage a new opportunity. Immediately the company began to diversify, creating a portfolio that included toiletries, lightbulbs, and hydraulic cylinders. There was no reason to limit themselves to vegetable-based business – Western Indian Vegetable Products became Wipro, and Azim would soon become the “Indian Bill Gates” in more ways than one.

As the 1970’s drew to a close, Wipro focused more and more on computer hardware and software, in time becoming the IT consulting and systems integration company it is today. It became not just any tech company, but one of the largest in the world. And from early on, Azim had one eye toward giving back, years later telling the Associated Press, “I strongly believe that those of us who are privileged to have wealth, should contribute significantly to try and create a better world for the millions who are far less privileged.”

Through Wipro, Azim has been able to have a massive impact both philanthropically and culturally. Some Wipro initiatives, such as Mission 10X, which aims to increase the abilities of Indian engineering students, clearly fits with the company’s own interests. But there are also programs such as Wipro Cares, which works with employees to help provide disaster relief after devastating earthquakes or floods. The culture of responsibility pervades everything at Wipro, which is one of the reasons for both the company’s success, and its position as one of the top places to work in India.

Azim’s generosity is not limited simply to the work done through Wipro, however. Founded in 2001, the Azim Premji Foundation is Azim’s way to pursue his non-profit passion, providing high quality universal education to all Indians. The Foundation works closely with the government in rural areas to improve the school systems, readily taking the opportunity to try new programs and projects that the government would never be able to fund on its own. This is no doubt a reflection of lessons learned from his upbringing. Azim told the India Institute of Management Bangalore, “My mother, a doctor, did not practice medicine. But she founded the children’s orthopedic hospital in Bombay, a one of its kind hospital in South East Asia, and devoted her life to raise funds to run it because government grants never came on time.”

So the “Indian Bill Gates” born in Bombay found massive success in the tech world and in quick succession became one of the world’s richest men and one of the world’s biggest philanthropists. He said that being rich ‘did not thrill’ him, and became the first Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, committing most of his wealth to charity. And while he knows his money will have an impact, he hopes that his example does too. After all, this is a man who changed a vegetable oil company into a wildly successful tech giant. Is it too hard to believe he might also change the face of philanthropy in India?

Over six decades into their marriage, Joan and Sanford Weill remain a philanthropic powerhouse. UC San Francisco just experienced their largesse firsthand, receiving a $185 million gift for the Weill Institute for Neuroscience. But that is only the very latest in a long line of generous gifts that the couple has bestowed on the world. Separately, each of the Weills has done an astounding amount of good, but together they have really raised the stakes on what it means to be a philanthropic couple.

Sanford “Sandy” Weill made his fortune as a banker and financier, but history suggests that his name will be remembered first and foremost as a philanthropist. His first foray into that realm was a unique melding of the nonprofit and banking worlds. The Academy of Finance, founded by Sandy in 1982, is a network of business/school partnerships that prepares young people from high-need communities for careers in the corporate world through a combination of school-based curricula and work-based experiences. The concept seemed obvious to Sandy, providing tangible benefits for both the business community and the students, and helping to shape the future workforce of America. This first venture in philanthropy impacted him profoundly. As he later told Philanthropy Roundtable, “Philanthropy kept me busy through that uncertain period and showed me that there was something more to life than just business.” He has been a critical part of the rebirth of Carnegie Hall over the past thirty years, helping raise funds and restoring it to its former glory. His success as chairman of the board of the world-famous concert hall has earned him a rare distinction: Sandy Weill is the recipient of two different Carnegie medals—the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy and the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence.

For Joan Weill, a spirit of giving and dedication to service has run throughout her life, and while the choices have been quite different from those of her husband, her career as a philanthropist has been no less illustrious. A volunteer in the psychiatric ward at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, Joan used to joke that she was “in charge of the streets” while her husband was “in charge of culture.” But this vastly undersells the variety of projects that Joan has taken on, from helping the homebound elderly in New York City as president and board member of Citymeals on Wheels, to spearheading, as chair of the board, the transition of Paul Smith’s College from a 2-year to 4-year institution. As board member of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, Joan brought music education to students and, perhaps most notably, under her guidance as chair, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew substantially, and is today ranked as one of the premier companies in American dance.

In philanthropy, as in marriage, two successful individuals working together jointly become greater than the sum of their parts, the one complementing but also bringing out the best in the other. The whole world should be thankful that Joan and Sandy Weill found each other. The couple’s belief in medical science as a true catalyst for changing lives has led them to give over $600 million to the Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell University. And what is more, it is the Weills who make Cornell’s efforts to open a medical school in Qatar a reality, making it the first American school of medicine overseas. The international impact of their giving is probably best represented by the Joan & Sanford I. Weill Israeli-Palestinian Friendship Center at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Israel.

Sandy Weill, chairman emeritus of Citigroup and founder of the National Academy Foundation, talks on Fox Business News about his legacy in philanthropy, especially about NAF’s efforts to improve high school education in the United States.

The Weills are consistently creating opportunities for humanity to heal and grow, whether through medicine, education, or the arts. Their donations have left a lasting impact on major scientific and cultural institutions, and, perhaps just as importantly, have inspired others to recognize what they themselves can accomplish. And it is clear that for them, their philanthropy, much like their marriage, is a source of great joy. As Sandy has said, “Joan and I have been partners in everything that we’ve done and we have learned a lot from one another. . . . Joan, to my good fortune, still puts up with me!”

When former Indian President K. R. Narayanan bestowed the Padma Bhushan Award upon Ratan Tata for his distinguished service to the country, he eagerly mentioned that he went to university on a Tata scholarship. It’s moments like these that not only show how critical the Tata family has been to India, but also why it’s so important for Ratan to continue to be an exemplary custodian for his family’s philanthropic legacy. As with much of his life’s work, he is using his position at the head of the table to remake philanthropy throughout India.

Founded in 1868 by Jamseti Tata as a trading company, the Tata Group has companies in every facet of society, including energy, automotive, engineering, and information technology. In 1892, Jamseti Tata established the JN Tata Endowment, which has continued to help Indians pursue higher education, including the aforementioned president. This was the first of what would become many philanthropic initiatives by the Tata Group. Jamseti was the first, but far from the last, as many family members have bequeathed their personal wealth to such efforts, forming the basis of today’s Tata Trusts.

And Ratan Tata’s life experience has put him in the perfect position to ensure that the Trusts have a whole new level of relevance. Despite being family, his start at the company was at the ground level, working on the steel show floor. When speaking to the Stanford Social Innovation Review about his goals for the trusts, he reflected on this early years, “Working on the shop floor as a young man, I saw close up the misery and hardship of the less fortunate and thought about how one makes a difference to improve lives. As I moved up through the departments and divisions, I continued to see hardship and had more opportunity to do something about it.”

Ratan tackled philanthropy with the same zeal in which he stewarded the Tata Group. His focus on innovation and smart investments resulted in previously unimagined growth, and his approach to philanthropy is equally as inspired. The current state of giving in India is widely regarded as behind the times, with Ratan telling SSIR, “Today, a large amount of philanthropy in India is deployed in traditional forms, like building a temple or hospital. India has to move to a more sophisticated form of philanthropy that is designed to make a difference rather than just building edifices.” By spending the time and money to truly study the problems, and by devising innovative solutions, the Tata Trusts are showing a new approach.

The impact of the new approach is already apparent. In their effort to solve the daunting problem of child malnutrition, they’re approaching it from multiple angles. Fortifying staple foods, focusing on maternal health, and aiming to alleviate poverty, along with providing 60,000 meal a day throughout their programs. Sustainability is the key to the all the projects, and with sustained improvements, comes a healthier India that continues to grow and flourish. Ratan has found the perfect balance of forward-thinking leadership and genuine desire for a better world, telling Livemint, “I have become more sensitive to the pain and the suffering that exists. I am more involved with where we should do more and where we should be bolder in terms of the amount of money that we allocate.”

Ratan Tata honoured as one of the Greatest Global Living Indians

Looking back on the legacy that he now finds himself the custodian of, Ratan reflects less on the great industrial advancements that his forefathers’ made. Instead, it’s his grandmother that made the deepest impact. Her generosity and her duty to help the less fortunate has stayed with him. “She had homes for the poor all over the country… She operated in that way not to gain visibility for herself, but because she was very kind-hearted and passionate in terms of doing away with misery.” Undoubtedly, she would feel good about the impact that Tata Trusts are having to this day.

Building homes, building art collections, building futures. Building has long been a path to success for Eli Broad. His first Fortune 500 Company was the construction firm KB Homes, followed by the creation of an unprecedented second Fortune 500 success, SunAmerica, a fund services firm focused on retirement. Broad learned early on that he could apply the same entrepreneurial ideas to the world of philanthropy, and in doing so, particularly in the fields of public education, science and the arts. And so The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation was born. And much like Eli himself, the Broad Foundation has approached its causes in an unconventional way.

Eli Broad (left) speaks with artist Suzanne Joelson in an unspecified gallery, New York, New York, February 1986. (Photo by Oliver Morris/Getty images)

Decades ago, Eli and Edythe Broad began what would become a storied art collection. Rather than keep it for themselves, they decided it would bring more pleasure if they were able to share it. So, in 1984, they created the Broad Art Foundation, a lending library for contemporary art, which allowed them to loan the art they loved to over 500 museums showcasing groundbreaking contemporary works. The Broads, though, wanted to share more. In 2015, the doors opened to The Broad, a contemporary art museum financed by the couple with $140 million, in addition to their collections. With free admission, hundreds of thousands are now able to see the art that has been such a passion and inspiration to the Broads.

A teacher with kindergarteners as part of Teach for America, an organization supported by the Eli and Edythe Broad and its efforts to ensure excellent education for all children. (Photo by Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Providing open access to world class, contemporary art is just one of the ways the Broad Foundation is impacting lives. They have given generously to ensure every child in America can attend a great public school. The wide ranging approach is both bold and carefully considered, with significant focus on urban schools, where a lack of leadership and resources can often prevent students from reaching their potential. In an interview with Philanthropy Roundtable, Eli Broad summed up the philosophy: “We want every student in an urban school system to have an opportunity to succeed.”

While either of these efforts would be a crown jewel in anyone’s legacy, Eli continues to lead the family’s support for the arts and education, recently funding The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard with a $600 million gift. “My wife and I believe the most important thing we will have done in our lifetime is to be involved with the creating of the Broad Institute,” Eli has said. The work the Institute is doing is revolutionizing the study of genomes, leading to new breakthroughs in our understanding and treatment of cancer, heart disease, psychiatric disorders, and hundreds of other ailments. Thanks to the work of over 2,500 scientists, new discoveries are being made at a rate that was previously unimaginable. Combine this with the investments the Broad Foundation has put toward stem cell research at UCLA, UC San Francisco, and the University of Southern California, and it is irrefutable that when Eli Broad builds, and everyone benefits.

So Eli Broad continues to build. He often cites the George Bernard Shaw quote, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” This insight provided him with the title of his book, The Art of Being Unreasonable: Lessons in Unconventional Thinking, as well as his twitter handle, @UnreasonableEli, and speaks to his approach to his philanthropy.

Henry John Heinz once said, “Make all you can honestly; save all you can prudently; give all you can wisely.” Pittsburgh, the United States, and the entire world can be thankful that his descendants have continued to heed those words. Following the example set by H. J. Heinz, the family has been a leading light in public service and philanthropy for nearly 150 years. While many immediately associate the Heinz name with ketchup and condiments, it is perhaps their giving spirit that they should be most known for.

H. J. Heinz started packaging food in 1859, and instead of using the standard green glass, he opted for clear glass jars, in order to showcase his horseradish’s freshness. This sort of innovative thinking, as well as the importance of the purity of product, were to be hallmarks of the Heinz name. As the company grew, Heinz made it clear how much he valued his workers, providing unheard of amenities, including medical care, recreational facilities, and educational opportunities. Not to mention weekly manicures for the women. Beyond his own company, Heinz sought to ensure safety in packaged food, pushing for federal regulations in the food’s production, labeling, and selling. His efforts resulted in the Pure Food and Drug legislation, which paved the way for today’s Food and Drug Administration.

A vintage colour illustration featuring an assembly line of ladies bottling Heinz pickles, advertising H J Heinz Company 57 Varieties, circa 1900. (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)

The Heinz family patriarch made it clear how important it was to contribute to society, and the following generations manifested this idea in a plethora of ways. Public service is a reoccurring theme, and with each family member, it reflected personal passions and concerns. Inspired by his father’s effort to work with the government to ensure food safety, Howard Heinz saw public service as a critical part of being part of the family. While assisting with Middle Eastern famine-relief efforts during World War I, he witnessed the start of the Armenian genocide and was deeply affected. He soon sent a dispatch to President Wilson requesting military intervention to stop the bloodshed, and continued to advocate for the cause after finishing his service. Seeing this suffering no doubt impacted his work during the great depression, when the Heinz Company made it their mission to provide affordable and healthy food to many struggling families. During World War II, Howard’s son Jack led the company as president, and followed in his family’s footsteps, providing aid to the United Kingdom for food shortages, and converting the Pittsburgh plant to help the US manufacture gliders for the war. And while Jack’s son, H. John Heinz III, didn’t follow the family into business, he continued the legacy of public service. He served in the Air Force Reserve before going into politics, serving as both a Representative and a Senator for his home state of Pennsylvania.

Three women Margaret Nagy, Grace Slomer, and Irene Hays assemble an airplane part in an H.J. Heinz aircraft factory. | Location: H.J. Heinz factory. (Photo by Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

Mirroring the varieties of Heinz products, the family has shown that no matter what your passion or cause, there are ways to contribute. And while many of the men of the family worked with the government, the women had just as significant an impact in creative and unique ways. Vira I. Heinz was well aware of how fortunate she was to travel, seeing it as a life-changing and eye-opening experience. The confidence she gained from traveling played no small part in her status in a male-heavy world, becoming the first woman on the HJ Heinz board of directors and first woman trustee at Carnegie Mellon University. With this in mind, she started a program to sponsor female students to study abroad, initially writing out the checks herself before eventually administrating it from University of Pittsburgh’s Center for International Studies. And the program continues to this day, continually inspiring new generations of women.

In addition to the grants, funds, and research that the Heinz family has funded (and continues to fund), awards have been a way for the family to support and acknowledge the impact of others. Drue Heinz, wife of H. J. Heinz II, has been a major patron of the arts, not only publishing the Paris Review, but creating the prestigious Drue Heinz Literature Prize for Short Fiction. In addition, there are the esteemed Heinz Awards, founded by Teresa Heinz to honor the memory of her late husband, U.S. Senator John Heinz III. In this way the Heinz family continues to laud innovation and public service, both within the family and outside of it.

With hard work and ingenuity paving the way to success, HJ Heinz and Andrew Carnegie definitely have a lot in common. And while Carnegie’s philanthropic work lives to inspire through institutions, the Heinz family is staking their legacy on generations who have found different and inspiring ways to give back. While not quite 57 varieties, the scope of their giving is incredible, and the commitment to philanthropy is the tie that binds.