Azim Premji

Azim Hashim Premji (born 24 July 1945) is an Indian billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is best known as the former chairman of Wipro and remains its founding chairman and non-executive board member. He is widely recognized for transforming Wipro into a global technology company and for his large-scale philanthropic contributions.

Azim Premji
Born	Azim Hashim Premji 24 July 1945 Bombay, British India (now Mumbai, India)
Nationality	Indian
Education	B.S. Electrical Engineering (Stanford University)
Occupation	Businessman, Philanthropist
Known for	Former Chairman of Wipro, Philanthropy
Spouse	Yasmeen Premji
Children	Rishad Premji, Tariq Premji
Awards	Padma Bhushan (2005) Padma Vibhushan (2011)

Early Life and Education

Azim Premji was born in Bombay, British India (now Mumbai) into a Gujarati Ismaili Khoja Muslim family. His father, Muhammed Hashim Premji, was a prominent businessman known as the "Rice King of Burma".

Premji completed his higher education at Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

Career

Wipro

In 1966, at the age of 21, Azim Premji took over the family business after the sudden death of his father. At the time, the company, Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd, was primarily involved in the manufacturing of cooking oil and related products.

Premji diversified the business into multiple sectors including consumer goods, hydraulic equipment, and eventually information technology. In the 1980s, he shifted the company’s focus toward the technology sector, renaming it Wipro and entering the computer and software industry.

Under his leadership, Wipro became one of India’s leading IT services companies.

Investments

In 2006, Premji established his family office, PremjiInvest, to manage his investments.

Philanthropy

Azim Premji is one of the world’s most prominent philanthropists.

Azim Premji Foundation

In 2001, he founded the Azim Premji Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on improving public education in India.

Over the years, Premji has transferred a significant portion of his wealth, including large stakes in Wipro, to the foundation. His total philanthropic contributions have exceeded tens of billions of dollars, making him one of the most generous donors globally.

Giving Pledge

In 2013, Premji became the first Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, committing to donate at least half of his wealth to charitable causes.

Recognition

Azim Premji has received numerous national and international honors:

• Named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people (2004, 2011)
• Listed among the world’s most powerful individuals by Asiaweek
• Recognized as one of the world’s most generous philanthropists by Forbes
• Ranked among the most influential Muslims globally

He was awarded:

• Padma Bhushan in 2005
• Padma Vibhushan in 2011

He has also received several honorary doctorates and international recognitions including France’s Legion of Honour.

Net Worth

As of October 2023, Azim Premji’s net worth was estimated at approximately US$11.6 billion.

Personal Life

Azim Premji is married to Yasmeen Premji. The couple has two sons, Rishad Premji, who serves as Chairman of Wipro, and Tariq Premji.

Legal and Public Issues

Premji has been involved in a few legal cases related to corporate governance and public complaints. Courts in India dismissed several allegations as frivolous and closed the cases after due review.