Sonny Kalsi's journey from Wall Street to philanthropy has struck me as profoundly inspiring. His professional trajectory began on Wall Street where he worked for 19 years. After that, Sonny co-founded a real estate firm that embraced social impact. His philanthropic journey is deeply rooted in his personal experiences and values. His experience as a young volunteer working with the Special Olympics in New York, exposed him to stark inequalities and fueled his commitment to giving back.

Having seen firsthand the crucial impact his father's degree had on securing the family's future, Kalsi believes education to be the greatest equalizer, and his philanthropic giving focuses primarily on education-related causes.

“Eighty percent of our philanthropic giving is to education-related causes. My father came to this country with $200 but had a PhD. Education was the key that unlocked opportunities for him and for us.”

Sonny's major philanthropic endeavors include Room to Read, Teaching Matters, Georgetown University, and the PREA foundation. These ventures help fund the education for underserved areas (people of color, women, and other minorities). He believes in not just creating and funding organizations but measuring their impact with tangible outcomes.

Sonny Kalsi that the Indian diaspora is relatively young in the US and is gradually playing a bigger role in philanthropy. At the end of our chat, he says goodbye with an ever so true fact – we always need more people involved in the 'doing' and not the 'giving', so find the best way you can make a difference to the world.