Azim Premji Wipro Products Ltd was run by Premjis father.

In 1966, Pemji was completing his degree in engineering at Stanford University when his father died. He later was able to finish getting his degree in electrical engineering with correspondence courses. .Just 21, Premji took over the family oil business. Under Premjis leadership Wipro Corporation began to expand and diversify. General Electric used Wipro to manufacture light bulbs, shampoo, baby care products and powder. By 1975, Penji started Wipro Fluid Power to make hydraulic cylinders and also truck tippers. In the 1980s IMBM was kicked out of India creating a vacuum in the technology field. With Pemjis interest in electrical engineering, Wipro was a natural entry into the IT field. Wipro was issued a special license from Sentinel. They began manufacturing hardware for computers and then branched out to software development. Wipro is the largest outsourcing company in India and its research and development unit is the world largest independent group. Under Pemjis guidance, Wipro grew from a $1.5 million oil company to a $662 million diversified conglomerate. Premji believes in growth through delivering value with integrity to the customer. Wipro became the first Indian company to implement the Six Sigma program. It was also achieved SEI CMM Level 5 (the first software company to earn this distinction), and it also achieved PCMM Level 5 (People Capability Maturity Model), the worlds first organization to gain this level. Pemji has been awarded numerous honors. Honors in 2000 included an honorary doctorate by both the Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India and Roorkee and the Business Man of the Year by Business India. In 2003, Forbes named Pemji to two distinguished lists one of the 10 people globally, who have the most power to effect change and one of the 25 most powerful business leaders outside the US, Also in 2003, and Business Week had Pemjis picture on its October cover titled Indias Tech King. In 2004, his honors included top 25 billionaires who have done most to bring about significant and lasting social, political or cultural changes by the Financial Times, and as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2005, he received one of his countries highest honors for a civilian, the Padmabhushana. He is a member of the Prime Ministers Advisory Committee for Information Technology in India. Established by Premji in 2001, the Azim Premji Foundation focuses on quality education to build a just, equitable and humane society. 1.8 million children are partaking in various programs. The Foundations does not focus primarily on Information Technology education, but instead it tries to improve the quality of general education, especially in rural schools. Over 70 educational CDs have been created for Indian schools. Related Entrepreneurs 7Share Adi Saravanan Alijan Ibragimov Ihor Kolomoyskyy Gary Goldberg Jera Deal

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Azim Premji on Worlds Greatest Entrepreneurs List

July 12, 2007 by Mahesh M Piddshetti

All True Entrepreneurs has an Instinct which serves as a Passion to Lead. This is most inspiring to all aspiring entrepreneurs. IBNLive has a Great Article on Azim Premji MAN WITH A VISION: Premji shares the top space with the likes of Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Michael Dell. New Delhi: IT stalwart Azim Premji has become the first Indian to receive the Greatest Entrepreneurs of All Time title, applauded in the US magazine BusinessWeeks list of 30 all-time achievers. Premji shares the top space with the likes of Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Michael Dell. Chief of Nasdaq-listed IT firm Wipro, Premji is the only Indian to make it to the list. He has been recognised for his vision and leadership that has been responsible for Wipro emerging as one of the worlds fastest growing companies, a company statement said. The list honours the ideas and innovation of the worlds 30 most influential people and includes 15th century explorer Admiral Zheng H to present day leaders like Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell to name a few. Azim Premji was highlighted for his success in turning a $3-million vegetable oil company to a global leader in IT services based on a foundation of values and consistently delivering premium quality to customers, it said. Premji has been the chairman of Wipro Ltd from 1966 when he took over the company after his return from Stanford. The US magazine BusinessWeek Top 30 All Time Entrepreneurs list is compiled based on opinions from professors, authors and other BusinessWeek staffers. The criteria looks at people who had the vision to create new markets or tap into underserved markets, changing the way people lived in the process. [read] [video]