Sudha Reddy on being a billionaire with couture and a conscience

Sudha Reddy attends the 2024 Met Gala.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Mind you, she doesn’t have it all figured out—quite the contrary, in fact. If there’s one thing she swears by, it’s the power of continuous learning, as much in career as in life. While engaging with experts and fostering open dialogue within her teams has helped her create impact in the workplace, raising her sons, Manas and Pranav, to embody empathy is something she and her husband have taken upon themselves. “We actively involve them in our philanthropic discussions and activities despite the privileges they enjoy. I speak openly with them about the responsibility we bear. The goal is to pass on this legacy to them when the time is right.” Her advice to fellow parents hoping to raise kind kids is to lead by example. “Children learn more from what you do than what you say, whether it’s volunteering, helping a neighbour or simply showing compassion to a peer.” At the end of the day, it’s the little things that count.

Motivated by my conversation with Reddy, I decided to cull out the takeaways from our conversation to practise small acts of philanthropy in my day-to-day:

Offer mentorship

Share your skills with someone who’s just starting their career. Take an hour out each day to offer guidance, especially to those without privilege or access. If you’re in a position to share contacts that will help them get a head start, make necessary introductions.

Donate smartly

Often, we have the intention to give but get bogged down by the ‘to which cause’ of it all. The trick is to regularly set aside a small amount for causes you care about each month and try to channel some money towards each of them. Set weekly reminders on your phone that notify you to make your donation for the week to reduce the sting of a chunk of money disappearing from your account in one go. Even micro-donations can go far when done consistently.

Support small and ethical businesses

Where you spend is as powerful as how much you give. Supporting local artisans, women-owned ventures, queer-led initiatives and environmentally conscious brands converts your purchases into intentional and impactful acts. From your morning coffee and your laptop cover to the clothes you wear and the shampoo you use, aligning your purchases with your principles can go a long way.

Use your voice

Reddy may have 1.1 million Instagram followers but she insists that you don’t need that many to make a difference. Whether it’s a post on your private profile, a comment in a group chat or a thoughtful conversation at the dinner table, raising awareness is a form of philanthropy too. When you talk about causes that matter, be it gender equity, mental health, caste privilege or climate justice, you’re not just sharing information, you’re influencing your inner circle and nudging them to think, act and give in ways they might not have known.

Be kind in micro-moments

Philanthropy isn’t always grand or headline-worthy. It’s in tipping your delivery person generously, enrolling your house help’s child in school or buying a meal for someone who looks like they need it without their asking. In a world that moves so fast, taking a moment to be soft, patient or generous is subversive in its own way.