Gates, Buffet to meet Indian billionaires

Wealth of nations

Gates, his wife Melinda and Buffet are in India and will meet the super-rich Indians to popularise philanthropy.

Barring the recent example set by Wipro boss Azim Premji, rich Indian businessmen are not known to give away their profits for societal development. In December, Premji transferred Rs 8,000 crore to a private charity organisation controlled by him to be used  for  social causes. While Buffet is in Bangalore, Gates met Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here on Tuesday to discuss the progress made in health projects funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation committed $1 billion for health programmes in India besides $250 million for global causes such as anti-tobacco campaign. Many health and social development projects in the state are being funded by the foundation.

The IT czar will visit Bihar on Wednesday to have a first-hand experience on some of the foundation-sponsored programmes, including one that would help private doctors to improve their prescription practices. He would also announce launch of a $ 80 million grant for Bihar in partnership with the state government.