Renowned as an Indian businessman, philanthropist, and former chairman of Wipro, Azim Premji has earned accolades for transforming the company into a global powerhouse from a leading multinational corporation. Assumed control of the company after his father’s demise in 1966, Azim Premji diversified it across various sectors.
In the 1980s, he rebranded the company as Wipro and ventured into the IT sector by collaborating with Sentinel Computer Corporation to manufacture minicomputers. While the 78-year-old industrialist achieved numerous milestones in his active years, his wife Yasmeen Premji, a former assistant editor of the design journal Inside Outside, is widely recognized for her philanthropic endeavours.
The combined Net Worth of Azim Premji and Yasmeen Premji
Azim Premji, one of the wealthiest individuals in India, has experienced a notable decline in net worth in recent years due to a 42% drop in Wipro’s shares over the last two years, according to a CNBC TV18 report. Currently standing at the sixth position on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index list of the richest people in the country, Azim Premji’s net worth is approximately $24 billion (around Rs 1,99,997 crores). Meanwhile, Yasmeen Premji, a director at the Azim Premji Foundation charity, possesses a net worth of Rs 1,14,400 crores, as reported by Zee News. The collective net worth of this influential couple amounts to Rs 3,14,397 crore.
Azim Premji’s Remarkable Journey
In 1945, Muhammad Hashim Premji founded Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd in the small town of Amalner, focusing on producing cooking oil (Sunflower Vanaspati) and laundry soap (787). Following his father’s demise in 1966, Azim Premji left his engineering studies at Stanford University to take charge of the family business. Over the ensuing decades, he diversified the company across various sectors. In 2019, Azim Premji stepped down as chairman, passing the leadership to his son, Rishad Premji.
Diverse Investments
According to a Financial Express report, Wipro operates an innovation center in Silicon Valley, collaborating with various startups to develop new technologies. Azim Premji has directed his wealth into several startup investments, including The Sleep Company, Purple, SpotDraft, GlobalBees, Icertis, Giva, and others.
Philanthropic Endeavours
Beyond his accomplishments in steering Wipro to new heights, Azim Premji is equally renowned for his philanthropic efforts. Over recent years, he has donated a significant portion of his income towards various social causes. Together with his wife Yasmeen Premji, he oversees the Azim Premji Foundation, dedicated to assisting those in need.
