S P Lohia Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £1,572,294 (2024)
• Total Income: £1,539,958 (2024)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
• Geographic Focus: England and Wales (with international reach in Asia and Africa)
• Charity Number: 1195432
• Founded: 2021

Contact Details

Registered Office:

6th Floor, 86 Jermyn Street

London, SW1Y 6JD

United Kingdom

Website: https://splohiafoundation.org/

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact details for grant applications as they do not operate a public application process.

Overview

The S P Lohia Foundation (SPLF) is an international charitable trust registered in the UK in 2021. Founded by Sri Prakash Lohia and his father Mohan Lal Lohia, the foundation is now directed by Aarti Lohia and includes trustees Sri Prakash Lohia (Chair), Amit Lohia, and Gaurav Kalyani. With annual charitable expenditure of over £1.5 million, SPLF operates across multiple spheres of public interest including education, healthcare, arts and culture, international development, and research. The foundation is built on the belief that “education is the most powerful tool to enable inclusive, transformational, and sustainable change” and works with established institutions across Asia, Africa, and the United Kingdom. The foundation maintains a flexible grant-making policy and operates primarily through strategic partnerships with major institutions rather than accepting open applications from the public.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

Seva Grant Programme

A specific grant programme with applications opened for the 2025-2026 edition. Limited public information is available about the programme structure and selection process.

Strategic Institutional Grants

The foundation makes significant grants to established charitable organisations and institutions, determined by trustee discretion rather than through an application process.

Priority Areas

Arts & Culture

• Support for major cultural institutions including museums and galleries
• Focus on South Asian art and contemporary art programmes
• Emphasis on archiving and digitisation of South Asian art archives
• Support for living artists, particularly from underrepresented backgrounds

Healthcare

• Healthcare initiatives in Asia, Africa, and the UK
• Emergency medical services
• Cardiovascular health education and prevention

Education

• Education as the foundation's core belief system
• Support for educational institutions and programmes
• Focus on inclusive and transformational change through education

International Development

• Community welfare programmes
• Poverty alleviation initiatives
• Work across Asia, Africa, and the UK

Policy & Research

• Support for research institutions and think tanks
• International affairs and policy development

Verified Beneficiaries Include

• National Gallery (Modern and Contemporary Programme) - Leading philanthropic supporter
• India Foundation for the Arts (IFA Archive) - Leading philanthropic partner
• London Chess Classic

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's exclusions are not publicly documented. However, based on their stated focus on “general charitable purposes” and support for established institutions, they appear unlikely to fund:

• Commercial ventures
• Non-charitable activities
• Organisations outside their strategic focus areas

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

Sri Prakash Lohia - Chair

Founder and Chairman of Indorama Corporation, one of the world's largest petrochemical companies. Sri Prakash Lohia founded the S P Lohia Foundation along with his father Mohan Lal Lohia.

Aarti Lohia - Director

Director of the foundation and key decision-maker for grant-making strategy. Aarti serves on multiple prestigious cultural institution boards and councils including:

• Victoria & Albert Museum's International Council
• Tate Modern's South Asian Acquisitions Committee
• Serpentine Galleries's International Council
• South London Gallery Board (Trustee)
• National Gallery's Modern and Contemporary Art Advisory Panel
• British Fashion Council Foundation (Patron)
• MoMA's David Rockefeller Council
• Kochi-Muziris Biennale (Founding Patron and Trustee)

Amit Lohia - Trustee

Group Vice Chairman of Indorama Corporation.

Gaurav Kalyani - Trustee & Secretary

Board member involved in the Lohia family's business and charitable activities.

Key Quotes from Leadership

Aarti Lohia on philanthropy:

“Philanthropists are led by a strong desire to make change. The first step is passion. If you are not passionate you can forget about the second step – creating impact.”

On her approach to supporting organisations:

“Philanthropy is about relationships – so identify a cause or an institution you resonate with. It is important to find what you relate to and commit to helping them develop over a period.”

On sustainability:

“It is also essential for philanthropy to be sustainable. Any support given should continue over time.”

On art patronage (relevant to cultural grant-making):

“An important aspect of collecting for me is that you are supporting a living artist who needs your money today.”

On South Asian engagement:

“For me, engagement with the South Asian community in London is of primary importance.”

On archiving and digitisation:

"South Asian art archives are by and large inaccessible, and rarely impressive. You need to work to keep archives alive through systematic documentation. Not enough philanthropists are interested in this field, but it's vital."

How to Apply to S P Lohia Foundation

How to Apply

The S P Lohia Foundation does not have a public application process.

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on strategic priorities and relationships with established institutions. The foundation identifies organisations and causes that align with its mission and values, rather than accepting unsolicited applications from the general public.

Exception: Seva Grant Programme

The Seva Grant appears to have a structured application process with specific cycles (applications opened for 2025-2026 edition), though details are not widely publicised.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - decisions are made by trustees on an ongoing basis according to strategic priorities rather than fixed application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

While the S P Lohia Foundation does not accept general applications, understanding their approach can help organisations position themselves strategically:

Strategic Alignment is Critical

The foundation focuses on causes where trustees have deep personal passion and expertise. Aarti Lohia emphasises that “the first step is passion” - they support causes that resonate strongly with the family's values around education, healthcare, arts, and social impact.

Long-term Relationships Over One-off Grants

Aarti Lohia has stated that “philanthropy is about relationships” and that it is “essential for philanthropy to be sustainable” with “any support given should continue over time.” Organisations they support tend to receive multi-year or ongoing support rather than single grants, as demonstrated by their sustained support for the National Gallery's modern and contemporary programme.

Established Institutions with Track Records

The foundation's beneficiary list shows a clear preference for well-established, prestigious institutions with proven impact: major museums, national cultural institutions, international development organisations, and leading charities. They appear to value organisational stability and demonstrated effectiveness.

Cultural Focus on South Asian Heritage

Multiple grants and Aarti Lohia's board positions demonstrate strong interest in South Asian art and culture. She has stated: “For me, engagement with the South Asian community in London is of primary importance.” Organisations working in this space may be more likely to attract attention.

Innovation in Underserved Areas

Despite supporting established institutions, the foundation shows interest in overlooked needs. Aarti Lohia specifically noted that archiving and digitisation “get little attention” but are “vital,” leading to support for the IFA Archive project. Organisations addressing neglected but important gaps may resonate with this approach.

Impact on Living Artists and Emerging Talent

In the arts sector, the foundation shows particular interest in supporting “living artists who need your money today” and artists from underrepresented backgrounds, not just acquiring established works.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process - This foundation operates through trustee discretion and strategic partnerships, not open applications
• Passion-driven decision-making - Trustees support causes they are personally passionate about; alignment with family values around education, healthcare, and arts is essential
• Relationship-based philanthropy - Focus on long-term partnerships with established institutions rather than one-off project grants
• South Asian cultural heritage - Strong interest in South Asian art, culture, and community engagement, particularly in London
• Strategic institutional giving - Beneficiaries tend to be prestigious, well-established organisations with proven track records
• Interest in underserved areas - Despite supporting major institutions, they show interest in overlooked but vital work like archiving and digitisation
• Personal board connections matter - Several beneficiaries are organisations where Aarti Lohia serves on the board or advisory panels
• Substantial grants - With £1.5M+ in annual charitable expenditure and support for major institutions, grants are likely significant when awarded

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• The Hinduja Foundation
• Khoo Teck Puat Uk Foundation
• The Rory And Elizabeth Brooks Foundation
• The Robert Gavron Charitable Trust
• Z V M Rangoonwala Foundation
• Edwin Fox Foundation
• The E C Sosnow Charitable Trust
• The Ampersand Foundation
• Ernest Hecht Charitable Foundation
• The Kenneth & Susan Green Charitable Foundation

References

1. UK Charity Commission Register - S P Lohia Foundation (Charity No. 1195432)

https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5182428/

Accessed: March 2026

1. S P Lohia Foundation Official Website

https://splohiafoundation.org/

Accessed: March 2026

1. The Wick Culture - “Interview: Philanthropist, Aesthete, Art Collector, Aarti Lohia”

https://thewickculture.com/monday-muse-interview-philanthropist-aesthete-art-collector-aarti-lohia/

Accessed: March 2026

1. National Gallery Press Release - "SP Lohia Foundation announced as leading philanthropic supporter of the National Gallery's Modern and Contemporary Programme 2022–3"

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/press-and-media/press-releases/

Accessed: March 2026

1. UK Companies House - S P Lohia Foundation Company Information

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13231493

Accessed: March 2026

1. The Art Newspaper - “Collector Aarti Lohia on her mission to digitise South Asian art archives”

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/10/13/aarti-lohia-on-what-she-collects-and-why

Accessed: March 2026

1. Aarti Lohia - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarti_Lohia

Accessed: March 2026