19th-century Indian philanthropists

Annie Besant (née Wood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was an English socialist, theosophist, freemason, women's rights and Home Rule activist, educationist and campaigner for Indian nationalism. She was an ardent supporter of both Irish and Indian self-rule. She became the first female president of the Indian National Congress in 1917.

Sir Raja Radhakanta Deb Bahadur (10 March,1784– 19 April,1867) was a scholar and a leader of the Calcutta conservative Hindu society,son of Gopimohan Deb of Shovabazar Raj who was the adopted son and heir of Maharaja Nabakrishna Deb of sovabajar Raj.

Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia (1848–98) was an Indian banker and activist in progressive and social reform measures in Punjab. He established The Tribune newspaper in Lahore in 1881, and later remained founder chairman of the Punjab National Bank, established in 1894. He established dyal singh trust society.

Elias David Sassoon (27 March 1820 – 21 March 1880), an Indian merchant and banker born in Baghdad, was the second son of David Sassoon, an Iraqi-Indian philanthropist Jewish businessman involved in trade in India and the Far East, with branches at Calcutta, Shanghai, Canton, and Hong Kong; and his business, which included a monopoly of the opium-trade, extended as far as Yokohama, Nagasaki, and other cities in Japan.

Hon. Jagannath Shankarsheth Murkute (also spelled as Jugonnath "Nana" Shunkersheth and Jaggannath Shankarsheth Murkute; 10 February 1803 – 31 July 1865) was an Indian philanthropist and educationalist. He was born in 1803 in the wealthy Murkute family of the Daivadnya Brahmin community in Mumbai. Unlike his forefathers, who performed priestly duties for his community, he engaged in commerce and soon developed a reputation as a very reliable businessman. So high was his credit that Arabs, Afghans and other foreign merchants chose to place their treasures in his custody rather than with banks. He soon acquired a large fortune, much of which he donated to the public.

Shahjahan Begum GCSI CI (29 July 1838 – 16 June 1901) was the Begum of Bhopal (the ruler of the princely state of Bhopal in central India) for two periods: 1844–60 (her mother acting as regent), and secondly during 1868–1901.

Kalikrishna Mitra (1822 — 2 August 1891) was a Bengali philanthropist, educator and writer. He established the first non-government girls’ school in India.

Maharaja Sir Mohammad Amir Hasan Khan, Khan Bahadur, KCIE (1849 - 27 June 1903) was the Raja of Mahmudabad from 1858 to 27 June 1903 and a noted zamindar of British India.

Hara Kumar Tagore or Hara Coomar Tagore (1798–1858) was a leading land owner, philanthropist, Sanskrit scholar, writer and musician from Calcutta. He belonged to the Pathuriaghata branch of the Tagore family.

Nawab Begum Faizunnesa Choudhurani (Bengali: নওয়াব বেগম ফয়জুন্নেসা চৌধুরানী; 1834–1903) was Zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon Estate in present-day Comilla District, Bangladesh. She is most famous for her campaign for female education and other social issues. In appreciation of her social work, in 1889 Queen Victoria awarded Faizunnesa the title of "Nawab", making her the first female Nawab in South Asia.