India

Azim Premji

Wipro · Mumbai

21, grieving, suddenly running a soap factory. He turned a small soap company into India's largest software exporter and then gave most of it away.

FrugalLong-term thinkerPhilanthropy-first

Company

Wipro

Journey

Moves that mattered.

1966
Left Stanford mid-degree to take over family's vegetable-oil business after father's death.
1980
Pivoted Wipro into computer hardware — IBM had just left India.
2001
Became India's richest man during the IT boom.
2019
Pledged 67% of his wealth — over ₹1.45 lakh crore — to philanthropy.

Struggles

Took over a company shareholders wanted him to sell. Pivoted into IT when nobody believed Indian software could matter.

Family

Married to Yasmeen. Two sons, Rishad and Tariq. Famously lived in modest homes despite billions.

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The full story

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The story
21, grieving, suddenly running a soap factory. He turned a small soap company into India's largest software exporter and then gave most of it away.

Sources & further reading