Net Worth
$13B
Global Rank
#84
Source
Wipro
Country
India
$How Azim Premji Built Their Fortune
Azim Premji is one of India's most revered business leaders and philanthropists, celebrated for transforming Wipro from a small cooking oil company into one of the world's largest IT services and consulting firms. His five-decade leadership journey is a masterclass in strategic reinvention, disciplined execution, and unwavering commitment to values. Under his stewardship, Wipro grew from revenues of approximately $2 million to over $8 billion, creating wealth for thousands of employees and shareholders while establishing India as a global technology powerhouse.
Premji took over the family business at the age of 21 when his father passed away unexpectedly, dropping out of Stanford University to return to India. What began as a vegetable oil company called Western India Vegetable Products was systematically transformed through Premji's vision into a technology-driven enterprise. His decision in the 1980s to enter the nascent Indian IT industry proved extraordinarily prescient, and his insistence on quality, integrity, and customer focus built Wipro into a trusted partner for the world's largest corporations.
Perhaps even more remarkable than his business achievements is Azim Premji's philanthropic legacy. He has pledged to give away the majority of his wealth — over $21 billion — to the Azim Premji Foundation, making him one of the most generous philanthropists in history. The foundation focuses on improving education quality for millions of children across India, operating at a scale that is transforming rural education systems. His combination of business excellence and profound generosity has earned him comparisons to the world's greatest philanthropists and made him a role model for responsible wealth creation and distribution.
vs$13B in Perspective
To put Azim Premji's $13B fortune into context, here's what that wealth could buy:
Median U.S. household incomes
At $59,384/year
Median U.S. homes
At $420,000 each
Tesla Model 3s
At $38,990 each
Four-year college degrees
At $108,000 average
NFL franchises
At $4.7B average
Private islands
At $15,000,000 each
Key Wealth Milestones
1966
Left Stanford University at age 21 to return to India and take over the family's cooking oil business following his father's sudden death.
1980
Made the pivotal decision to enter the technology business, beginning Wipro's transformation from a consumer goods company into an IT services leader.
1999
Listed Wipro on the New York Stock Exchange, signaling the company's arrival as a global IT services player and unlocking international capital markets.
2001
Established the Azim Premji Foundation with an initial endowment focused on improving primary education quality across rural India.
2019
Pledged an additional $7.5 billion to the Azim Premji Foundation, bringing total commitments to over $21 billion — an extraordinary act of generosity.
Where Azim Premji Ranks
Top 50% of the world's wealthiest · 167 tracked
Nearest by Rank
Richest People in India
Azim Premji on Wealth & Success
“If people are not laughing at your goals, your goals are too small.”
“I think it is important for all those blessed with wealth to come forward and show the way in terms of philanthropy.”
“Earning money is a skill. Giving it away wisely is an even greater one. We must find ways to bridge the gap of inequality.”
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AI-Generated Content — This profile was created using AI and publicly available sources. While we strive for accuracy, details may contain errors or be outdated. Quotes may be paraphrased or taken out of context. Achievements and figures are based on public reporting and may not be precise. This profile does not imply endorsement by the individual featured. Not financial advice.