By Rohail Khan
When it comes to social work and philanthropy, Indian Muslims normally outclass their peers. There are so many to mention. However, Azim Premji, Founder/Chairman of Wipro Group has topped the list.
Shanghai-based Hurun Data Group has this week released the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2013, with IT Industry leader and business magnate Mr. Azim Premji emerging as the most generous Indian with a donation of Rs 8,000 crores in the past year.
Born in Karachi on 24th July, 1945 and settled in Mumbai after partition, Azim Premji graduated from the world famous Stanford University, California. Hailing from a Gujarati business family, his entrepreneurial spirit and creative nature compelled him to set up the world-renowned Wipro Company some forty years ago.
Azim Premji has guided Wipro Group through four decades of expansion to emerge as one of the top world leaders in the software industry. He has been recognised by Business Week as one of the Greatest Entrepreneurs for being responsible for Wipro emerging as one of the world’s fastest growing companies.
In 2001, he founded Azim Premji Foundation, a non-profit charity organisation, with a vision to significantly contribute to achieving quality universal education that facilitates a just, humane and sustainable society. The Foundation works in the area of elementary education to foster systemic change in India's 1.3 million government-run schools. A specific focus is on rural areas where the majority of these schools exist.
In 2005, the Government of India honoured him with Padma Bhushan for his outstanding work in trade and commerce.
[Rohail Khan, a Canadian-Pakistani with strong parental roots in India as well, is a Senior Banker and CFO based at Jeddah. He is also Chairman, Urdu Academy International (UAI), Washington, D.C. He can be contacted at rohailkhan00@gmail.com]
When it comes to social work and philanthropy, Indian Muslims normally outclass their peers. There are so many to mention. However, Azim Premji, Founder/Chairman of Wipro Group has topped the list.
Shanghai-based Hurun Data Group has this week released the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2013, with IT Industry leader and business magnate Mr. Azim Premji emerging as the most generous Indian with a donation of Rs 8,000 crores in the past year.
Born in Karachi on 24th July, 1945 and settled in Mumbai after partition, Azim Premji graduated from the world famous Stanford University, California. Hailing from a Gujarati business family, his entrepreneurial spirit and creative nature compelled him to set up the world-renowned Wipro Company some forty years ago.
Azim Premji has guided Wipro Group through four decades of expansion to emerge as one of the top world leaders in the software industry. He has been recognised by Business Week as one of the Greatest Entrepreneurs for being responsible for Wipro emerging as one of the world’s fastest growing companies.
In 2001, he founded Azim Premji Foundation, a non-profit charity organisation, with a vision to significantly contribute to achieving quality universal education that facilitates a just, humane and sustainable society. The Foundation works in the area of elementary education to foster systemic change in India's 1.3 million government-run schools. A specific focus is on rural areas where the majority of these schools exist.
In 2005, the Government of India honoured him with Padma Bhushan for his outstanding work in trade and commerce.
[Rohail Khan, a Canadian-Pakistani with strong parental roots in India as well, is a Senior Banker and CFO based at Jeddah. He is also Chairman, Urdu Academy International (UAI), Washington, D.C. He can be contacted at rohailkhan00@gmail.com]
