New Delhi, July 4 -- In a world where the five richest men have more than doubled their wealth since 2020 while nearly five billion people have become poorer, the question arises: Are today's billionaires contributing to global wellbeing, or exacerbating inequality?

South Asia is no stranger to this paradox. Home to both some of the fastest-growing economies and the most acute wealth disparities, the region exemplifies the tensions between economic growth and inclusive development. As business leaders amass power that rivals governments, especially in the digital and financial realms, the time has come to interrogate their role, not just as employers and innovators, but as ethical actors in an increasingly unequal world.

It is moot to e...