Azim Premji: India’s Tech Billionaire and Philanthropist

The technology industry has been a fertile ground for creating billionaires, and Azim Premji, an Indian business magnate, is one of them.

Known as a Muslim billionaire with a passion for philanthropy, Premji’s net worth stands at $11.9 billion (approximately Rp 193.97 trillion) as of March 2025, according to Forbes.

Dubbed the "Tech King of India," he ranks 199th on the list of the world's richest people and was named the 19th wealthiest person in India in 2024.

Career Journey: From Vegetable Oils to Tech Giant

According to detikcom, citing Investopedia, Azim Premji was born on July 24, 1945, in India. He came from a well-off family and pursued electrical engineering at Stanford University, USA.

However, he had to drop out after his father, Mohamed Premji, passed away. At just 21 years old, Azim returned to India to take over the family business, Western Indian Vegetable Product Ltd, which specialized in vegetable oils and refined oil products.

Under his leadership, the company expanded into hydraulic cylinders, soap, and lighting products.

Unexpectedly, this venture laid the foundation for Wipro Limited, which later became a global tech powerhouse.

A Shift to the Tech Industry

In 1980, Azim Premji ventured into information technology. Wipro started developing microcomputers through a technology-sharing agreement with Sentinel Computers, a US-based company.

His business flourished, especially in the 1990s, after India's economic deregulation in 1991. Wipro diversified into medical equipment, diagnostic devices, and IT hardware such as printers and scanners.

Wipro's revenue surged from $2 million in the late 1960s to $7 billion by 2014, with 75% of its income coming from the IT sector.

The company also established an innovation center in Silicon Valley, focusing on new technology development and collaboration with startups.

In July 2019, Azim Premji stepped down as CEO of Wipro Limited, passing the leadership to his son, Rishad Premji. However, he remains the Founder Chairman of the company.

A Billionaire with a Generous Heart

Beyond business, Azim Premji is renowned as one of the world's leading philanthropists. He has pledged to donate $21 billion as part of the Giving Pledge, a global initiative encouraging billionaires to give away most of their wealth to charity.

A significant portion of his donations comes from two-thirds of his Wipro shares, which have been transferred to a charitable trust.

In 2001, he founded the Azim Premji Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on improving primary education in India.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the foundation contributed $150 million (around Rp 2.3 trillion) to aid those affected.

In Islam, wealth is believed to have a rightful share for others, emphasizing the importance of charity, zakat (obligatory almsgiving), and infaq (voluntary donations). Many believe that generosity not only helps those in need but also brings greater prosperity in return.

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