Azim Premji (born 24 July 1945) is an Indian businessman and philanthropist who turned his family’s vegetable oil company into Wipro, one of the world’s leading IT services firms. He is also one of the world’s most generous philanthropists: he has given away shares worth billions of dollars to the Azim Premji Foundation, which works to improve public education in India.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Azim Hashim Premji |
| Born | 24 July 1945, Bombay (now Mumbai), India |
| Age | 81 |
| Position | Founder Chairman, Wipro |
| Education | BS in Electrical Engineering, Stanford University |
| Spouse | Yasmeen Premji |
| Sons | Rishad (Wipro chairman), Tariq |
| Honours | Padma Bhushan (2005), Padma Vibhushan (2011) |
Early Life
Premji was born in Mumbai. His father, M. H. Hasham Premji, ran Western India Vegetable Products, which made cooking oil. In 1966, when Azim was studying engineering at Stanford University, his father died suddenly. He returned to India at 21 to run the company. He completed his Stanford degree many years later.
Career
Premji diversified the business into soaps, lighting and hydraulics, and renamed it Wipro in 1977. When IBM left India in the late 1970s, he moved into computer hardware and then software. Through the 1990s and 2000s Wipro became one of India’s biggest IT services companies, serving clients around the world. He handed over as executive chairman to his son Rishad in 2019.
In 2001 Premji set up the Azim Premji Foundation to work with government schools, and in 2010 he founded Azim Premji University in Bengaluru. He has pledged a large part of his wealth, including much of his Wipro stake, to the foundation. He was the first Indian to sign the Giving Pledge, in 2013.
Personal Life
Premji is married to Yasmeen, and they have two sons, Rishad and Tariq. He is known for his frugal lifestyle, such as flying economy class and driving modest cars.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Azim Premji born?
Azim Premji was born on 24 July 1945 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India.
What honours has Azim Premji received?
Padma Bhushan (2005), Padma Vibhushan (2011).
