“I was studying at Stanford University with two quarters left to go before receiving an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. Then, I got the telephone call from my mother. I had no choice. I went home, and I jumped into the company feet first, right from day one. There was no time to grieve my father.”

Indian businessman and philanthropist

Azim Premji is an Indian businessman and philanthropist, long associated with Wipro. Born in 1945, he served as chairman of the company and remains its founding chairman and a non-executive board member. He is also the chancellor of Azim Premji University in Bangalore. Premji has been widely recognized for his influence and public standing, including being named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2004 and 2011, and among The 500 Most Influential Muslims. He was also voted by Asiaweek in 2010 as one of the 20 most powerful men in the world. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian honor.