Indian tech magnate and philanthropist Azim Premji, the founding chairman of Wipro, once declared, “People have to take control of their own lives. Education is key because it also raises other social indicators like healthcare.” This profound statement, made during an extensive profile interview with The Guardian on January 22, 2005, encapsulates the core mission of the Azim Premji Foundation.
The Vision Behind the Quote
Premji articulated this philosophy while explaining his foundation's dedicated focus on primary education in rural and historically disadvantaged areas. He argued that genuine empowerment stems from individuals possessing the tools to shape their own destinies, rather than relying solely on external assistance.
For Premji, primary education serves as the ultimate catalyst for self-reliance. Educating a community does more than just impart literacy; it fundamentally transforms lifestyles. This foundational change triggers a positive domino effect across various societal aspects. For instance, literate individuals are better equipped to make informed health choices, practice improved sanitation, and understand nutrition, directly contributing to reductions in disease and infant mortality rates.
From Cooking Oil to Global IT Giant
Often hailed as the "Czar of the Indian IT Industry," Azim Premji is renowned for his extraordinary transformation of Wipro Limited. He inherited a small family-run cooking oil business, Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd., in 1966 at the age of 21, after his father's sudden passing. Premji expanded the firm, initially into consumer care and industrial engineering, before strategically renaming it Wipro in 1977.
A pivotal moment arrived in 1979 when the Indian government expelled IBM. Premji seized this opportunity, steering Wipro directly into the nascent computer hardware and software market. Under his leadership for over four decades, Wipro evolved into a premier global IT outsourcing enterprise operating in more than 60 countries. In 2019, he stepped down as executive chairman, passing the leadership to his son, Rishad Premji, to dedicate more time to his philanthropic endeavors.
“People have to take control of their own lives. Education is key because it also raises other social indicators like healthcare.”
— Azim Premji
Through the Azim Premji Foundation, his commitment to fostering self-reliance through education continues to empower countless communities, reflecting his belief that true progress begins with individual agency.