Among the many legacies Shri OP Jindal left behind, the one closest to his heart was not built from steel or machinery, but from compassion. He believed that industry finds its highest purpose when it uplifts people, bringing dignity to daily life, opportunity to the young, and hope to communities that have long been overlooked. For him, philanthropy was not an obligation that followed success. It was the very reason to pursue success. His life’s work became a quiet but powerful message: progress is meaningful only when it touches every human being it reaches.
This belief guided him long before the JSW Group emerged as one of India’s most respected business houses. Whether he was building a workshop or expanding steel plants, he remained deeply connected to the communities around him.
He listened to their concerns, understood their struggles, and shaped his industrial and philanthropic efforts to build a future where no one was left behind. In this seamless integration of enterprise and empathy lies the true essence of OP Jindal’s philanthropic legacy.
A Philosophy Rooted in People
His approach to giving was shaped by humility. He had risen from modest beginnings, and he carried those memories with him: the value of opportunity, the burden of scarcity, and the transformative power of education and health. These experiences nurtured his belief that every individual deserves a fair chance to grow. Philanthropy, therefore, had to do more than offer relief; it had to create pathways for lasting change.
OP Jindal often spent time speaking with workers and farmers in rural communities. Their stories shaped his priorities. His guiding principle was simple: identify what people truly need, and build solutions that endure. This human-centred philosophy became the foundation for shaping years of community work he initiated.
Education and Skill Development
Education, in his eyes, was the strongest tool for empowerment. OP Jindal invested in schools and colleges in regions that lacked even basic educational facilities, ensuring that young people could learn, aspire, and grow without leaving their communities behind. These institutions became anchors of stability and places where children discovered ambition, and families discovered hope.
But he also recognised that education must open doors to livelihoods. This belief emerged directly from his experience in building the steel industry and expanding industrial operations. He founded the Vidya Devi Jindal School, an all-girls’ residential school, and the OP Jindal Modern School in Hisar to create meaningful learning opportunities for the youth in non-metropolitan cities.
By linking classrooms to careers, he created an ecosystem of opportunity—a testament to his vision that philanthropy and industrial development can mutually strengthen one another and build a stronger nation.
Healthcare and Community Welfare
OP Jindal's philosophy was that without the upliftment of the weak and backward sections of society, a nation can never prosper. In 1968, he set up the NC Jindal Eye Hospital in Hisar, Haryana. During the 80s the hospital expanded with the addition of specialties in general medicine and surgery, orthopaedic, gynaecology, pediatrics and ENT.
Op Jindal also served as the Chairman of N.C. Jindal Charitable Trust, under whose auspices a 600-bed N.C. Jindal Institute of Medical Sciences functions in Hisar.
His community welfare initiatives extended beyond just treating illnesses. He also supported floundering institutions in their time of need. For instance, when the Maharaja Agarsen Medical College, Agroha, was de-recognised, he stepped in at the request of the college body and got 155 students admitted to Medical College, Rohtak instead, saving these young students' careers. He further helped raise funds to expand the premises and develop faculty and equipment.
These efforts reflected his conviction that industrial growth must translate into human well-being. Prosperity only gains meaning when it improves daily life.
Infrastructure and Rural Empowerment
OP Jindal directed philanthropic efforts toward strengthening rural infrastructure, ensuring that communities near industrial projects benefited from development that was both tangible and lasting. Aside from public acts of philanthropy such as building schools and hospitals, OP Jindal strived to help people and communities whenever the opportunity presented with his small acts of kindness.
A prime example is when he visited a slum area and realised the slum does not get clean drinking water. On his way back, Shri OP Jindal made arrangements to get clean water delivered to the slum every day.
The JSW Foundation: Carrying Forward a Legacy of Timeless Impact
Today, the JSW Foundation continues to carry the torch of OP Jindal’s values. It reflects his belief that business and benevolence must work in tandem. Guided by his principles of empathy and responsibility, the foundation works across education, healthcare, skill development, women’s empowerment, rural livelihoods, sustainability, and community welfare.
Its work complements the industrial strengths of the JSW Group, including JSW Steel, JSW Energy, and JSW Cement, to create a model of development that is both economically meaningful and socially transformative. From renewable energy awareness and environmental initiatives to outreach programmes and skill development centres, the foundation ensures that OP Jindal’s legacy continues to evolve with changing times and challenges.
What makes his legacy distinctive is its timelessness. The depth of impact defines OP Jindal’s legacy, not the scale of projects. It lives on in every life strengthened by opportunity and every community empowered through development.
A Legacy Measured in Lives Touched
OP Jindal's philanthropic legacy is woven into the everyday lives of thousands of families across the country. Schools continue to shape young minds. Skill centres continue to spark careers. Hospitals continue to heal. And community initiatives continue to lift those who need support the most.
His leadership, grounded in humility, guided by compassion, and connected to the public good, remains one of the most enduring chapters of the JSW story. His life reminds us that industry can be a powerful force for social upliftment when guided by purpose. It reminds us that true leadership is measured not by the scale of wealth created, but by the number of lives transformed.
As JSW’s legacy page beautifully suggests, OP Jindal’s life and work had a much larger purpose and impact than solely making profits. He believed in giving back to society and leaving behind a legacy of lasting impact.This belief continues to guide JSW today, ensuring that every step forward honours the values of a man whose vision reshaped communities, opportunities, and futures across India.
