Azim Premji: The Philanthropic Tech Titan

Azim Premji was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India in 1945. His father was a successful businessman who founded the Western Indian Vegetable Products company, which later became Wipro Limited. Azim grew up in a wealthy family, but he always had a strong sense of social responsibility and a desire to give back to society.

After completing his studies in electrical engineering from Stanford University, Azim returned to India to take over his father's company. At the time, Wipro was a small manufacturer of vegetable oil, but Azim saw the potential to diversify into other areas, including IT services. He began to transform the company into a tech giant, with a focus on software development, IT consulting, and business process outsourcing.

Under Azim's leadership, Wipro grew rapidly, and by the 1990s it had become one of India's leading IT services companies. But Azim never forgot his commitment to social responsibility. He believed that business should serve a larger purpose, and he used Wipro's resources to fund a wide range of philanthropic initiatives.

In 2001, Azim established the Azim Premji Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving education in India. The foundation focuses on providing teacher training, developing educational materials, and supporting government efforts to improve the quality of education in rural areas. To date, the foundation has supported over 350,000 schools and trained over 500,000 teachers.

Azim has also been a vocal advocate for social justice and environmental sustainability. In 2010, he signed the Giving Pledge, a commitment by the world's wealthiest individuals to give away the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. He has donated billions of dollars to charity, making him one of the world's most generous philanthropists.

Today, Azim is retired from his role as chairman of Wipro, but he remains active in philanthropy and social advocacy. His legacy as a tech titan and a philanthropic leader continues to inspire people around the world.

Five interesting facts about Azim Premji

1. In what year did Azim Premji take over as chairman of Wipro Limited? Answer: 1966

2. In what year did Wipro shift its focus to IT services? Answer: 1980s

3. What is the name of the non-profit organization founded by Azim Premji to improve education in India? Answer: The Azim Premji Foundation

4. How much money has Azim Premji donated to charity over the course of his life? Answer: Billions of dollars

5. What is the name of the philanthropic initiative launched by Azim Premji in 2019 to support social causes in India? Answer: The Wipro Care Fund