Azim Hashim Premji is an Indian business leader and philanthropist best known for transforming Wipro from a small vegetable oils company into a global IT services powerhouse. Often called the Czar of the Indian IT industry, his leadership blends frugal discipline, long-term thinking, and deep social responsibility. Beyond business, his philanthropic initiatives have redefined large-scale giving in India through a focus on foundational education and human development.

Early life and education

Born on July 24, 1945, in Bombay (now Mumbai), Premji hailed from a business family led by his father, Mohamed Hashim Premji, who founded Western Indian Vegetable Products in 1945. He enrolled at Stanford University to study engineering, laying a strong analytical base for future leadership. Years later, he completed his Stanford degree through distance education while leading Wipro’s expansion.

Taking charge at 21

In 1966, after his father’s untimely demise, the 21-year-old Premji returned to India and took charge of the family business in Amalner, Maharashtra. He stabilized operations, strengthened governance, and began diversifying beyond the core vanaspati and soap lines. The early years established his hallmark style of prudent capital allocation and relentless quality focus.

From oils to high technology

During the 1970s and early 1980s, the company expanded into consumer products such as toiletries, lighting, and hydraulic components while improving manufacturing rigor. Sensing emerging opportunities in technology, Premji steered Wipro into computers amid a post-IBM vacuum in India. A strategic shift to software services in the late 1980s and 1990s created strong global positioning.

Building a global services leader

Wipro became a trusted partner to Fortune 500 enterprises by investing in talent, process maturity, and R&D-led solutions. The company scaled across application development, infrastructure, consulting, and digital services, backed by quality frameworks and cost-efficient delivery. This disciplined build-out helped Wipro become one of India’s foremost IT firms with a reputation for governance and sustainability.

Leadership philosophy

Premji is known for integrity-first leadership, frugality in operations, and long-term value creation over short-term gains. His approach emphasizes hiring exceptional people, continuous learning, and ethical decision-making even in competitive cycles. Culture, according to his playbook, is an enduring moat that compounds advantages over decades.

The philanthropist at scale

In 2001, he established the Azim Premji Foundation to improve the quality and equity of India’s public schooling system at scale. The Foundation’s work spans teacher education, district institutes, field practice, and knowledge-building, complemented by Azim Premji University founded in 2010. Through the Giving Pledge and successive transfers of personal wealth, Premji has built one of the world’s largest philanthropic endowments focused on education and human development in India.

Transition and governance

Premji transitioned from day-to-day executive responsibilities to a non-executive role to ensure professionalized continuity at Wipro. The leadership handover to the next generation and seasoned professionals underscored his belief in institutional strength over individual centrality. This transition preserved Wipro’s culture while enabling renewed strategic focus for the digital era.

Key milestones

• 1945: Western Indian Vegetable Products founded by Mohamed Hashim Premji in Amalner.
• 1966: Azim Premji takes charge at 21 after his father’s passing.
• 1970s–80s: Diversification into consumer goods and engineering products.
• 1980s–90s: Move into computers and then software services, setting the stage for global IT growth.
• 2001: Azim Premji Foundation established to transform public education.
• 2010: Azim Premji University established to develop professionals in education and development.
• 2013 onward: Major philanthropic commitments through the Giving Pledge and large endowment transfers.

Awards and recognition

• Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan honors for contributions to trade and philanthropy in India.
• Featured multiple times in international lists of most influential leaders and philanthropists.
• Widely respected for modest personal lifestyle and exemplary corporate governance standards.

Business legacy and impact

Premji’s legacy rests on transforming an Indian manufacturer into a global technology brand without compromising ethics. The Wipro journey illustrates how prudent capital use, process discipline, and value-based leadership can produce durable competitive advantage. His philanthropic model demonstrates how large-scale, long-horizon funding aligned with institutional capacity can address foundational social challenges.

Lessons for entrepreneurs

• Build for decades, not quarters, with compounding culture and governance as anchors.
• Move early on structural shifts, but pair ambition with operational discipline.
• Tie success to social purpose so growth expands opportunity for communities.

FAQ

• Who is Azim Hashim Premji?
  An Indian business leader and philanthropist who transformed Wipro into a global IT services company and created one of the world’s largest education-focused foundations.
• What is the Azim Premji Foundation?
  A not-for-profit organization established in 2001 to enhance the quality and equity of public education in India, supported by a large philanthropic endowment.
• What is Azim Premji University?
  A university in Bengaluru focused on education and human development disciplines, offering teaching, research, and field practice programs.
• Why is Premji called the Czar of Indian IT?
  The title reflects his pioneering, ethics-driven leadership in building Wipro into a global software and services powerhouse over multiple decades.
• What leadership principles define his legacy?
  Integrity, frugality, long-term thinking, professionalized governance, and a deep commitment to social purpose through large-scale philanthropy.