Azim Premji is one of the most influential business leaders and philanthropists in India, known for building Wipro from a small cooking oil selling company into a global techno consulting firm. In the late ’60’s, he assumed his family business and slowly branched out and added information technology to the company’s portfolio. Premji is currently the Founder Chairman and Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director of Wipro, and his son Rishad Premji is Executive Chairman of Wipro.
Apart from business, Premji is also widely known for his philanthropy. In 2001, he founded the Azim Premji Foundation, which has made education a key priority in its operations. The Foundation has broadened its reach in the areas of education, health, livelihoods, and helping nonprofit organizations. The journey of Premji is also intertwined with philanthropy, with him committing to significant social initiatives in India through his economic ownership in Wipro.
Who is Azim Premji?
Azim Premji is an Indian businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, best known for building Wipro into an international information technology, consulting, and business services company. He was born on July 24, 1945, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, and is an Indian citizen.
Premji assumed the leadership of the family business in 1966 and, over a period of time, started diversifying. In his tenure, the company transitioned from its cooking-fat business to technology and emerged as one of the top IT companies in India. He is currently the Founder Chairman of Wipro and a Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director.
In addition to his business ventures, Premji is also recognized for his philanthropic endeavors. In 2001, he founded the Azim Premji Foundation, focused primarily on the field of education and other social development activities in India.
| Details | Information |
| Full Name | Azim Hasham Premji |
| Profession | Businessman, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 24 July 1945 |
| Birthplace | Bombay, Maharashtra, India |
| Age | 81 Years |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Education | Stanford University |
| Degree | Electrical Engineering |
| Known For | Wipro |
| Position | Founder and Chairman of Wipro |
| Current Board Role | Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director |
| Foundation | Azim Premji Foundation |
| Children | Rishad Premji and Tariq Premji |
Azim Premji Age (2026), Date of Birth and Zodiac Sign
Azim Premji was born on 24 July 1945 in Bombay, which is now known as Mumbai, Maharashtra. He is 81 years old in 2026. His zodiac sign is Leo.
| Attribute | Details |
| Age (As of 2026) | 81 years |
| Date of Birth | 24 July 1945 |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Nationality | Indian |
Azim Premji Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
The exact height of Azim Premji has not been officially reported; however, it is estimated at 5 feet 7 inches. He has been estimated to weigh around 72kg, but this is again an estimate. He is grey-haired with dark brown eyes and an average physique. Premji is an Indian businessman and philanthropist who is known for his humble and modest demeanor in public.
| Feature | Details |
| Height | Approximately 5 feet 7 inches |
| Height in Feet | Around 5’7″ |
| Hair Color | Grey |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Build | Average |
| Nationality | Indian |
Azim Premji Family Background
Azim Premji was born into a family of great business background in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1945. His father, M. H. Hasham Premji, was a businessman who led the family’s vegetable-oil business, which was part of Wipro’s initial years. His mother, Gulbano Premji, was a homemaker and was also an important personality in the family.
In 1966, Azim Premji returned to India and inherited the family business. Azim Premji is married to Yasmeen Premji and has two sons: Rishad Premji and Tariq Premji. Rishad has been working in Wipro since 2007 and is now the Executive Chairman of Wipro. Tariq Premji has been a part of the family business and philanthropic activities.
The Premji family is also well linked to the Azim Premji Foundation, which was founded in 2001 to operate in education and other aspects of social development. Premji’s ties with business, social responsibility, and public service are strong through his family and philanthropic efforts.
| Relation | Name | Information |
| Father | M. H. Hasham Premji | Businessman |
| Mother | Gulbano Premji | Family background |
| Wife | Yasmeen Premji | Wife of Azim Premji |
| Son | Rishad Premji | Executive Chairman of Wipro |
| Son | Tariq Premji | Family and philanthropic interests |
Educational Qualifications
Azim Premji did his Higher Education in Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, USA. He is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in Electrical Engineering, says Wipro’s official profile. After his father’s death, he continued his studies in engineering in the United States and returned to India in 1966. In those days, he assumed responsibilities for the family business and started the journey that led to Wipro.
Premji’s academic expertise was primarily in engineering, but his background in the subject prepared him for a business and technology-based career and influenced his thinking on diversifying his business. He led Wipro through its metamorphosis into a leading global information technology and consulting firm over the next few decades. Premji is also a holder of honorary doctorates from various Universities and Educational Institutions for his contributions to business, education, and philanthropy.
Azim Premji Wife and Marital Status
Premji is married to Yasmeen Premji, and they have two sons, Rishad Premji and Tariq Premji. In addition to being a writer, Yasmeen Premji has been linked to the family’s philanthropy. Penguin Random House calls her a writer, self-taught architect, and a “family member” in the philanthropic work.
Azim and Yasmeen Premji have until now kept a low profile in their family life. They have two sons, both of whom are heavily engaged in the family’s philanthropic and investment ventures. Rishad Premji is currently the Executive Chairman of Wipro, while Tariq Premji has been involved in philanthropy and investments. The Azim Premji Foundation, formally incorporated in 2001 and engaged in education, health, livelihoods, and other aspects of social development in India, is also part of the Premji family’s philanthropy.
Azim Premji Children
Azim Premji and his wife Yasmeen Premji have two sons, Rishad and Tariq Premji. They have two older sons – a prominent business executive, Rishad Premji, who is currently Executive Chairman of Wipro Limited, and another son. He has been working in Wipro since 2007 and has served in various leadership roles within the organization before taking on the position of Executive Chairman in 2019. The younger son Tariq Premji has been involved with the family’s philanthropic and investment activities.
The Premji family is also instrumental in promoting social causes with the formation of the Azim Premji Foundation in 2001. The family tends to have a more private personal life, though Rishad has a prominent public life at Wipro. Azim Premji’s principles of family and philanthropy stand true to his long-standing orientation towards social development and responsible business leadership and education.
Azim Premji’s Career Highlights
- Azim Premji’s career can largely be seen as intertwined with Wipro’s history.
- He took over the family business in 1966, and rapidly moved to transform it from a vegetable-oil mill into a conglomerate, with operations spanning numerous industries.
- He quickly came to realise the importance of computers and information technology, and moved to diversify Wipro into this space, eventually transforming it into a multinational IT services company.
- He was the chairman of Wipro for many years, until he stepped down as the Executive Chairman in 2019.
- He continued to hold the position of Chairman of Wipro.
- In 2019, his position as Executive Chairman was passed on to his son Rishad Premji.
- He has also been deeply involved with charitable activities through the Azim Premji Foundation, which he founded in the year 2001.
- A large amount of his earnings has been reinvested into the development of the country through this foundation, and he has also founded the Azim Premji University and has worked towards numerous other philanthropic goals.
Azim Premji and Wipro
The name Azim Premji is inextricably linked with the history of Wipro. When he took charge of the family business in 1966, it was a modest vegetable-oil mill. He rapidly diversified the products of the company, taking it into the realm of consumer goods, as well as lighting and industrial products. However, the most momentous decision regarding Wipro was the one to enter the field of information technology.
Azim Premji came to realise the power of computers and computer software, and moved to transform Wipro into a major force in this domain, which has eventually seen the company become one of India’s largest IT services providers. Wipro’s FY2025 results showed that over $10.5 billion in IT services revenue was registered by Wipro, with a net income of approximately ₹132 billion for the same fiscal year, employing over 242000 people.
About Wipro Limited
Wipro Limited is a Bangalore-based Indian multinational information technology services and consulting firm. The business can be traced back to 1945 when the company was founded as Western India Vegetable Products Limited. With Azim Premji at the helm, Wipro slowly expanded its business from consumer products to information technology and rose to become one of India’s leading international IT firms. Wipro today offers services in IT Consulting, Digital Transformation, Cloud, Cyber Security, Engineering and Business Process services.
Serves clients from various industry sectors and markets internationally. Azim Premji is the Founder Chairman and the Non-Executive, Non-Independent Director of the Company, and Rishad Premji is the Executive Chairman, and Srini Pallia is the CEO and Managing Director of the Company. Wipro is listed on the stock exchanges of India and has employees working for clients in various countries around the world.
Azim Premji Business Journey
Azim Premji’s business career can be segmented into several distinct phases.
Taking Over the Family Business
Azim Premji was forced to take over the family business at a very young age, being only 21 when his father passed away.
At the time, the family business was a vegetable-oil mill. However, rather than restricting himself to the domain of vegetable oils, Premji set his eyes on diversifying the products of the company and entering into new industries.
Diversification
Under the guidance of Azim Premji, Wipro rapidly diversified its product portfolio.
It entered numerous industries, including consumer goods, lighting, and industrial products. This allowed the company to gather enough strength to pivot towards information technology.
Entry into Information Technology
The decision to enter the field of information technology is regarded as the most momentous decision of Azim Premji’s career. He came to understand the potential of computers and computer software, and moved to transform Wipro into a major force in this domain. Azim Premji ensured that Wipro did not restrict itself to being a software company, and instead ventured out to provide numerous IT services to a multitude of clients across the world, spanning several industries.
Global Expansion
Azim Premji moved to expand the company’s presence across the globe, and it has since gathered a massive customer base across the world.
Azim Premji University and Foundation
Azim Premji Foundation is a philanthropic organisation, founded by Azim Premji to help create a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. It began with great emphasis on the quality and equity of school education, especially in government schools and disadvantaged areas of India. In 2001, the Foundation was formally set up, and has since broadened its reach to encompass education, health, livelihoods and support for nonprofit organizations.
Launched in 2010 in Bengaluru, Azim Premji University was a part of the Foundation’s vision for social change. The University has undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education programmes in various fields including education, development, public health, economics, sustainability and the social sciences. It opened its second campus in Bhopal in 2023, and is currently developing a third campus in Ranchi that is scheduled to open in 2026. The University is committed to the education, research, and development of personnel for India’s social sector.
Azim Premji Philanthropy
Philanthropy is one of Azim Premji’s public personas. He has invested a significant portion of his wealth into charitable causes, with the Azim Premji Foundation and related entities being responsible for a number of philanthropy-related activities.
The foundation’s work encompasses:
- Public education
- Healthcare
- Child development
- Livelihoods
- Social equity
- Human development
- Support for disadvantaged communities
Premji’s philanthropy efforts have been concentrated on public education and the development of institutions for underserved communities.
Awards and Recognition
Azim Premji has received several esteemed honours throughout his career. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours, for his contribution to trade and industry.
He has also received accolades from various institutions within and outside of India for his contributions to business and philanthropy. His transformation of Wipro and his large-scale philanthropy have earned him a special place among India’s corporate and social sectors.
Azim Premji Net Worth (2026)
As of 2026, Azim Premji’s personal net worth is estimated to be approximately $7.87 billion according to Forbes, making him number 32 on the list of India’s richest individuals. When factoring in his family’s wealth and holdings, the Hurun India Rich List estimates the collective Premji family wealth to be much higher at approximately ₹2,62,800 crore.
Azim Premji Social Media
Azim Premji’s public persona is somewhat private and lacks a verified personal account on social-media sites like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or Facebook. His work and public works, however, are represented by the official organizations to which he is attached. Azim Premji Foundation has a following of over 294,000 on LinkedIn, and Azim Premji University has a following of over 94,000 on LinkedIn. These are the number of followers that the organisations have, and not Premji’s followers on his social media accounts.
Conclusion
Azim Premji is one of India’s most renowned entrepreneurs and philanthropists. He has transformed Wipro from a small vegetable-oil business into a global technology services company, and has played a significant role in the development of India’s IT industry.
His most important business choice was the company’s transition towards information technology. Over several decades, Wipro has expanded its technology operations and developed a significant international presence. Premji is known for his extensive philanthropic efforts. Through the Azim Premji Foundation, he has invested a large amount of his wealth into education, healthcare, livelihoods, and social development.
FAQs
Azim Premji is an Indian businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist known for transforming Wipro into a global IT company.
Azim Premji is 81 years old in 2026.
He is famous for transforming Wipro from a vegetable-oil business into a global information technology company, as well as his philanthropic activities.
Azim Premji has two sons, Rishad Premji and Tariq Premji. Rishad Premji serves as Executive Chairman of Wipro.
The Azim Premji Foundation was established in 2001.