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Azim Premji Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth24 July 1945

Age78 Years

BirthplaceBombay, Bombay Presidency, British India

ProfessionIndian Business Tycoon, Investor, and Philanthropist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseYasmeen Premji

FamilyFather - Mohamed Hashem Premji; Sons - Rishad Premji, Tariq Premji

Net worth$12 billion (as of March 2024) [1] Forbes

Azim Premji Biography

Azim Hashim Premji is an Indian business leader, investor and philanthropist who transformed his family’s company into a global IT services giant and later

Early life and background

Azim Hashim Premji was born on 24 July 1945 in Bombay, then part of the Bombay Presidency under British India. Raised in a Shia Muslim family with roots in Kutch, Gujarat, he grew up in Mumbai. His father, Mohamed Hashem Premji, built a business reputation in the edible oils trade and founded Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd (WIPRO) in Amalner in 1945.

Premji attended St. Mary’s School in Mumbai and later enrolled at Stanford University to study electrical engineering. After his father’s unexpected death in 1966, he left his studies and returned to India to take charge of the family business. Decades later, in 2000, he completed the engineering degree he had paused nearly 35 years earlier.

Career

Under Premji’s stewardship, the company his father established expanded well beyond edible oils. Initially known for products such as a laundry soap and cooking oil, WIPRO diversified into hair care, lighting products, bakery fats, baby toiletries and other personal-care items. Premji steered a strategic shift in the 1980s when he identified the emerging opportunity in information technology. He moved the company into minicomputer manufacturing in collaboration with an American partner and progressively transitioned WIPRO from a consumer goods maker into an IT services and consulting organization.

Over time, WIPRO grew into one of the world’s large information technology consulting and outsourcing firms, a transformation that became central to Premji’s public profile and reputation within global business circles. He has been referred to in media portrayals as the “Bill Gates of India” for his role in building a major technology company and for his philanthropic commitments.

Philanthropy and public service

Premji founded the Azim Premji Foundation in 2001 with a focus on improving elementary education in rural government schools. The foundation works with several state governments and one union territory, supporting more than five thousand rural schools across India. Premji has been a principal funder of the foundation’s work and has publicly aligned himself with large-scale philanthropy initiatives, including participating in the Giving Pledge.

Honours and recognition

Premji’s contributions to industry and philanthropy have been recognized with multiple honours. He received the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to trade and commerce and, later, the Padma Vibhushan. Internationally, he has been named on Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World on more than one occasion. Business Week and Fortune have also profiled him among influential global business leaders.

Public profile

Premji has been the subject of international media attention for both his corporate leadership and his philanthropic work. He has appeared on magazine covers and in lists that highlight influential business figures, and India Today included him among the country’s most powerful people in 2017. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys hiking, jogging and watching movies with his family.

Personal life

Azim Premji is married to Yasmeen Premji. The couple have two sons, Rishad Premji and Tariq Premji. Rishad is known to be active in business. Premji’s mother, who trained as a doctor, is cited by him as an important personal influence.

Latest updates

In recent years Premji has continued his philanthropic commitments and remains associated with the Azim Premji Foundation’s education work. He has also received honorary doctorates, including distinctions awarded by institutions such as Wesleyan University and the University of Mysore, acknowledging his philanthropic and public contributions.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Azim Premji, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Azim Premji Foundation

Founded and funded a foundation focused on improving elementary education in rural government schools across several Indian states and a union territory; the foundation covers over 5,000 rural schools.

2001
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Career Highlights

  1. Transformed WIPRO from an edible-oils and consumer-goods company into a major global IT services and consulting firm
  2. Founded the Azim Premji Foundation to support elementary education in rural India
  3. Recipient of Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan
  4. Listed on Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World multiple times
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Net Worth

$12 billion (as of March 2024) [1] Forbes

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Azim Premji born?

Azim Premji was born on 24 July 1945.

What is Azim Premji known for?

Azim Premji is known for indian Business Tycoon, Investor, and Philanthropist.

What is Azim Premji’s marital status?

Azim Premji's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Azim Premji married to?

Azim Premji is publicly listed as married to Yasmeen Premji.

What is Azim Premji’s net worth?

Azim Premji's net worth is commonly listed as $12 billion (as of March 2024) [1] Forbes, based on available public profile information.