Azim Premji is an Indian businessman, philanthropist and the Founder Chairman of Wipro Limited. He is widely recognized for transforming a small cooking-oil business into a global technology services company.
Premji took over his family’s business in 1966 at the age of 21 after the death of his father. Over the following decades, he diversified the company into technology and helped build Wipro into an international IT services and consulting business.
Today, Premji is also known for his large-scale philanthropic work through the Azim Premji Foundation, which focuses on education, health, livelihoods and broader social development in India.
According to Forbes, Azim Premji’s real-time estimated net worth was $7.9 billion as of September 11, 2026.
Azim Premji Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Azim Hasham Premji |
| Date of Birth | July 24, 1945 |
| Age in 2026 | 81 years |
| Birthplace | Bombay, British India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Profession | Businessman & Philanthropist |
| Best Known For | Wipro and philanthropy |
| Company | Wipro Limited |
| Position | Founder Chairman |
| Wipro Chairman Until | July 2019 |
| Current Wipro Role | Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director |
| Education | Stanford University |
| Wife | Yasmeen Premji |
| Children | 2 |
| Son | Rishad Premji |
| Estimated Net Worth | $7.9 billion as of Sept. 11, 2026 |
Wipro currently identifies Premji as its Founder Chairman and a non-executive, non-independent director. His son Rishad Premji is Wipro’s Executive Chairman.
Who Is Azim Premji?
Azim Premji is one of India’s best-known technology entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
He is primarily known for turning Wipro from a consumer-products business into a global technology services company. Wipro’s official biography says Premji had been at the company’s helm since the late 1960s and transformed it into a group with businesses in IT, consulting and business process services.
His career is unusual because he did not initially inherit a technology company.
Instead, he inherited a cooking-oil business and gradually diversified it into different industries before making information technology the central part of Wipro’s growth story.
Azim Premji Early Life
Azim Hasham Premji was born on July 24, 1945, in Bombay, now Mumbai, India.
His father, Mohamed Hashem Premji, was a businessman associated with Western India Vegetable Products, a company involved in cooking oils and related products.
Premji’s career changed unexpectedly when his father died in 1966.
At only 21 years old, Premji returned to India from the United States and took responsibility for the family business.
That decision became the starting point of one of India’s most significant business transformation stories.
Azim Premji Education
Azim Premji studied electrical engineering at Stanford University in the United States.
When his father died in 1966, Premji left Stanford before completing his studies and returned to India to manage the family business.
Wipro later states that he holds a graduate degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
His educational journey is often highlighted because he left university to take over the business but eventually completed his engineering degree years later.
How Did Azim Premji Start His Business Career?
Premji inherited a company that was primarily associated with cooking oil.
Instead of keeping the company focused on a single product, he pursued diversification.
The business expanded into areas such as consumer products, lighting, hydraulic equipment and other businesses before eventually making a major move into information technology.
This diversification strategy helped establish the foundation for what would become Wipro’s technology business.
How Did Azim Premji Build Wipro?
The transformation of Wipro is the central part of Azim Premji’s business story.
In the 1980s, Wipro increasingly moved into computers and information technology.
The company eventually shifted its focus toward software and technology services, benefiting from the rapid expansion of global demand for IT outsourcing.
Premji’s strategy was to build Wipro as a professional technology organization rather than simply operate it as a traditional family business.
Over time, Wipro developed a global presence and became one of India’s major IT services companies. Wipro itself describes Premji as the leader who transformed the original cooking-fat company into a multinational technology services group.
Azim Premji and the Rise of Indian IT
Premji’s career coincided with the emergence of India’s global IT services industry.
Wipro built capabilities in software development, consulting, infrastructure, business process services and later digital technologies.
The company’s business expanded internationally, with Wipro becoming a technology services provider for clients across multiple markets.
This transformation made Premji one of the early business leaders associated with India’s global technology industry.
When Did Azim Premji Step Down as Wipro Chairman?
Azim Premji stepped down as Wipro’s chairman on July 30, 2019.
He became Founder Chairman and a non-executive, non-independent director of the company from July 31, 2019.
His son Rishad Premji became Wipro’s Executive Chairman in 2019. Wipro’s current leadership page lists Rishad in that role.
This transition marked the beginning of a new phase in Wipro’s leadership while preserving Premji’s connection with the company.
Azim Premji Net Worth in 2026
According to Forbes, Azim Premji’s real-time estimated net worth was $7.9 billion on September 11, 2026.
His wealth is primarily associated with his holdings and interests connected to Wipro and other investments.
Net-worth estimates should always be treated as time-sensitive because publicly traded assets can change in value.
It is also important to distinguish Premji’s personal net worth from Wipro’s total market value or revenue.
Azim Premji Wife and Family
Azim Premji is married to Yasmeen Premji.
The couple has two children.
Their son Rishad Premji is Executive Chairman of Wipro. Before becoming executive chairman, Rishad held leadership responsibilities across strategy, business operations, investor relations and government affairs.
The Premji family has also played an important role in the family’s philanthropic initiatives.
Azim Premji Foundation
The Azim Premji Foundation is one of the most important parts of Premji’s legacy outside business.
The Foundation’s work focuses on education, health and livelihoods, along with grants and other initiatives supporting social development across India.
Education remains at the centre of its work.
The Foundation works with government schools, teachers, education departments and other institutions to improve the quality and equity of school education.
It also supports health initiatives and livelihood programs.
Azim Premji University
Azim Premji University was established in Bengaluru in 2010 as part of the Foundation’s broader social-sector mission.
A second campus in Bhopal became operational in 2023, and a third campus is being developed in Ranchi. The Foundation says more than 5,300 students have graduated from the university.
The university focuses on areas including education, development, public health, livelihoods, sustainability, technology for social change and social-sector leadership.
Azim Premji Scholarship
The Foundation also operates the Azim Premji Scholarship, which supports girls pursuing higher education.
For the 2026–27 cohort, the scholarship provides financial support of up to ₹1.5 lakh, or ₹30,000 annually, for the duration of an eligible undergraduate programme.
The Foundation says the program has supported approximately 1.95 lakh girls so far and aims to eventually support 5 lakh girls each year.
This makes education one of the strongest themes connecting Premji’s business and philanthropic legacy.
How Much Has Azim Premji Donated?
Azim Premji is known for committing a substantial portion of his wealth to philanthropy.
Forbes has described him as one of the world’s most generous billionaires and reported that he had given approximately $21 billion to his charitable foundation.
Rather than focusing only on one-time donations, the Foundation operates long-term programs in education, health and livelihoods and also provides grants to nonprofit organizations.
Azim Premji’s Major Achievements
Some of his most important achievements include:
- Transforming Wipro from a cooking-oil business into a global technology company
- Building Wipro into an international IT services organization
- Helping establish India’s global technology-services industry
- Serving as Wipro chairman for several decades
- Establishing the Azim Premji Foundation
- Supporting government-school education
- Establishing Azim Premji University
- Supporting healthcare and livelihood initiatives
- Creating large-scale philanthropic programs for education
- Receiving India’s Padma Vibhushan
- Receiving the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy
Wipro records that Premji received the Padma Vibhushan in 2011, while the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy was awarded to him in 2017.
Azim Premji Awards and Honors
Azim Premji has received recognition from Indian and international institutions.
Notable honors include:
Padma Vibhushan
The Government of India awarded Premji the Padma Vibhushan in 2011, India’s second-highest civilian award.
Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy
He received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2017 for his contribution to philanthropy.
Legion of Honour
France awarded Premji the Legion of Honour, one of the country’s highest civilian distinctions, in 2018.
Faraday Medal
Premji was also the first Indian recipient of the Faraday Medal.
Azim Premji Career Timeline
| Year | Major Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1945 | Born in Bombay |
| 1966 | Returned to India after his father’s death |
| 1966 | Took over the family business at age 21 |
| 1970s | Diversified the business into multiple industries |
| 1980s | Expanded into computers and information technology |
| 1990s | Wipro developed into a major global IT-services company |
| 2001 | Azim Premji Foundation established |
| 2010 | Azim Premji University established |
| 2011 | Received Padma Vibhushan |
| 2017 | Received Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy |
| 2018 | Received France’s Legion of Honour |
| 2019 | Stepped down as Wipro chairman |
| 2019 | Rishad Premji became Executive Chairman |
| 2023 | Azim Premji University Bhopal campus became operational |
| 2026 | Continues as Wipro Founder Chairman and philanthropic leader |
Why Is Azim Premji Famous?
Azim Premji is famous for two major achievements:
First, he transformed a family cooking-oil business into Wipro, a global technology services company.
Second, he committed a significant part of his wealth and time to philanthropy, particularly education, health and livelihoods.
This combination of technology entrepreneurship and large-scale philanthropy makes his career different from that of many other Indian billionaires.
Azim Premji’s Business Philosophy
Premji has frequently emphasized the importance of ethical business practices and social responsibility.
Wipro states that he believes businesses have a responsibility to operate ethically, fairly and with environmental sensitivity while engaging with important societal issues.
His career therefore provides an example of how business growth and social responsibility can exist within the same long-term strategy.
7 Lessons From Azim Premji’s Success Story
1. Adapt When the Market Changes
Premji transformed Wipro multiple times instead of keeping the business dependent on its original products.
2. Diversification Can Create New Opportunities
The company moved from cooking oil into consumer products, technology and eventually global IT services.
3. Learn From Technology
Premji recognized the long-term potential of information technology and made it central to Wipro’s future.
4. Build Institutions, Not Just Businesses
His work extended beyond Wipro through the Foundation and university.
5. Think Long Term
The development of Wipro and the Foundation both required decades of investment.
6. Maintain Strong Values
Premji has repeatedly connected business leadership with ethical and socially responsible practices.
7. Use Success to Create Wider Impact
His philanthropic work demonstrates a long-term approach to using wealth for education and social development.
Interesting Facts About Azim Premji
- Azim Premji was born in 1945.
- He took over the family business at just 21.
- He left Stanford after his father’s death to return to India.
- He later completed his electrical engineering degree.
- His original business was connected to cooking oil.
- Wipro later became a global technology services company.
- He stepped down as Wipro chairman in 2019.
- His son Rishad Premji became Executive Chairman of Wipro.
- The Azim Premji Foundation focuses heavily on education.
- Azim Premji University was established in 2010.
- He received the Padma Vibhushan in 2011.
- He received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2017.
- Forbes estimated his 2026 net worth at $7.9 billion.
Conclusion
Azim Premji’s biography is a story of business transformation, technology and philanthropy.
At 21, he returned to India and took over a family business that was primarily associated with cooking oil. Instead of keeping the company focused on its original business, he diversified it and eventually turned Wipro into a global technology services organization.
His second major legacy is philanthropy. Through the Azim Premji Foundation, his work now extends across education, health, livelihoods and social development. The Foundation’s university and scholarship programs have also expanded the family’s contribution to India’s education ecosystem.
In 2026, Premji remains Wipro’s Founder Chairman and continues to be one of India’s most prominent business philanthropists.
FAQs About Azim Premji
Who is Azim Premji?
Azim Premji is an Indian businessman and philanthropist best known for transforming Wipro into a global technology services company. He is currently Wipro’s Founder Chairman.
How old is Azim Premji in 2026?
Azim Premji is 81 years old in 2026. He was born on July 24, 1945.
What is Azim Premji’s net worth in 2026?
Forbes estimated Azim Premji’s real-time net worth at approximately $7.9 billion on September 11, 2026.
Where did Azim Premji study?
Azim Premji studied electrical engineering at Stanford University in the United States.
Why did Azim Premji leave Stanford?
He returned to India in 1966 after his father’s death to take over the family business. He was 21 at the time.
How did Azim Premji build Wipro?
He diversified the original cooking-oil business into multiple industries and eventually focused heavily on information technology, transforming Wipro into a global IT services and consulting company.
When did Azim Premji become Wipro chairman?
Azim Premji led Wipro from the late 1960s and remained chairman until July 30, 2019. He became Founder Chairman from July 31, 2019.
Who is the current chairman of Wipro?
Rishad Premji is Wipro’s Executive Chairman, while Azim Premji remains Founder Chairman and a non-executive, non-independent director.
Who is Azim Premji’s son?
Azim Premji’s son is Rishad Premji, who is Executive Chairman of Wipro.
What is the Azim Premji Foundation?
The Azim Premji Foundation is a philanthropic organization focused on education, health, livelihoods and other areas of social development in India.
What does the Azim Premji Foundation do in education?
The Foundation works with government schools, teachers, education departments and other institutions to improve the quality and equity of school education.
What is Azim Premji University?
Azim Premji University is a university established in Bengaluru in 2010 as part of the Foundation’s social-sector mission. It now has campuses in Bengaluru and Bhopal, with another campus being developed in Ranchi.
How much has Azim Premji donated?
Forbes has reported that Premji has given approximately $21 billion to his charitable foundation.
What awards has Azim Premji received?
Among his major honors are the Padma Vibhushan, Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, France’s Legion of Honour and the Faraday Medal.