A man is always known by the legacy he leaves behind. Azim Premji is a living example of how a man’s action has the power to reshape the nation. Azim Premji’s work has been a big reason for the development of India’s global image. Premji is certainly one of the forerunners in expanding the IT industry in India and gradually making the world witness India’s hold on the IT sector.
Why is Azim Premji known as a living legend ?
Here are a few reasons why it is so :
- Bill Gates and Warren Buffett started a Campaign “The Giving Pledge”. Azim Hashim Premji became the first Indian to give away his one-fourth wealth.
- He started the “Azim Premji foundation” in 2000 to address the social cause. He focused at the Grass root level i.e. the “Indian Education System”. The foundation generates opportunities for the advancement of teachers and education. And also provides employment to more than 100 employees.
- Azim Premji has received numerous accolades during his lifespan, most notably India’s second-highest civilian honor, Padma Vibhushan, for his contribution to the business.
- The business week mentioned Azim Premji as one of the greatest entrepreneurs of all time for the rise of Wipro. As per India Today April 2017 list, he stands as a ninth most powerful Indian. In the year 2005, the Government of India granted him the title of Padma Bhushan for his exceptional effort in trade and business. He is one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
- Azim Premji took over the charge of Wipro due to the sudden demise of his father. Wipro was that time called as Western Indian vegetable product. At the age of 21, he became the chairman of the company, despite the protest by the shareholders.
- He extended the enterprise’s commodities list to include hydraulic cylinders, soaps, lighting products, etc. Western Indian vegetable product was renamed as Wipro in 1977. In 1980, Wipro entered the IT sector. It started expanding and got into many other lines of business like medicine, lamps, powder, and more. Under the management of Azim Premji; Wipro grew multifold from a $2million cooking fat business into a multinational organization with the worth of US $7billion.