Charity done without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, to a deserving recipient, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. —Bhagwad Gita 17.20
In Aristotle’s words - To give away money is an easy matter and in any man’s power. But to decide whom to give it and how much and when, for what purpose and how, is neither in every man’s power nor an easy matter. Philanthropic duo, Suman and Ramesh Tulsiani, toiled selflessly in their quest for shaping lives and communities. Playing to a poetic, divine and destined script, Suman and Ramesh Tulsiani bid adieu to this world earlier in May 2026 as they passed away 13 days apart.
Ramesh Tulsiani passed away on May 03, 2026 while Suman Tulsiani passed away on May 16, 2026, at the age of 95 years and 89 years respectively. Octogenarian Suman and nonagenarian Ramesh Tulsiani basked in the philanthropic aura of the Suman Ramesh Tulsiani Charitable Trust. Waking up every day with a zest for life and a single-minded focus on finding ways and means to alleviate the trials and tribulations of the underprivileged sections of society, they were an exemplary couple who lived the adage of `We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give’, to the fullest.
Suman hailed from Goa, belonging to the erudite family of Kuwelkars, whereas Ramesh was a Sindhi from Hyderabad in Sindh, Pakistan, who shifted to erstwhile Bombay after the partition. Hailing from welleducated and highly-cultured families, they adorned their bond of love in holy matrimony in 1959, a time when inter-caste marriages were frowned upon. Ramesh made his fortune in textiles and construction businesses. With luck and destiny by his side, the hard work and keen sense of business acumen saw him build a formidable empire over the decades.
In 1989 that this enigmatic couple decided to embark on life’s real journey with a sense of purpose to establish the Suman Ramesh Tulsiani Charitable Trust aimed at enriching people’s lives through various educational, medical, social and cultural initiatives. `Charity begins at home but should not end there’, is the adage both Suman and Ramesh firmly believed in. Their first focus was on their families. Having ensured familial harmony and prosperity, they initiated and contributed to innumerable projects that have aided helpless, sick, widows, and old people.
Collectively these projects have seen an infusion of more than Rs.280 crores over the years. Suman and Ramesh Tulsiani believed Humanity to be the only true religion. Both of them had a middleclass upbringing, which had instilled sound values and virtues, dwelling on selflessness, sharing, kindness and compassion to all around. It is said and observed that a genuine person or cause has never gone empty handed from their doorstep.
Attending office was a sacred practice for both of them till just before the pandemic struck in 2020. Suman and Ramesh Tulsiani leave behind a rich legacy, and their demise leaves a huge void in the philanthropists’ community, with many calling it as the End of an Era. We bid a fond adieu to this warm, humane and loving couple who had nothing but warmth, kindness and compassion to share.
