India Billionaires
Azim Premji transformed Wipro from a small edible oil company into a $30+ billion IT and FMCG powerhouse. Born in 1945 and educated at Stanford, Premji shifted Wipro’s focus to IT in the 1980s, helping launch India’s software export revolution. Under his leadership, Wipro became a global IT services leader, employing over 250,000 people. Premji is equally renowned for philanthropy—having pledged most of his wealth to charity through the Azim Premji Foundation, which supports education in over 300,000 rural schools across India. One of the world’s most generous billionaires, he is admired for humility, ethical business practices, and social impact. Awarded the Padma Vibhushan and numerous international honors, Premji is considered India’s most respected corporate philanthropist.
Timeline
1966: Takes over Wipro after father’s death.
1980s: Diversifies into IT services.
1990s: Makes Wipro one of India’s top software exporters.
2000: Lists Wipro on NYSE.
2010s - 20s: Wipro becomes $30B IT and FMCG powerhouse.
