Azim Premji, born on July 24, 1945 is a renowned Indian business tycoon who led Wipro Limited as its chairman, propelling it into a global leader in the software industry.
Following his father’s death in 1966, Premji took over Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd., diversifying its offerings.
He renamed the company Wipro in 1977, pivoting it towards computer business in 1979 after IBM’s exit from India.
Under Premji‘s leadership, Wipro focused on software development, harnessing India’s rich talent pool and catering primarily to the US.
This strategic move led to a substantial increase in Wipro’s value by the late 90s, making Premji one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs globally.
In addition to his business success, Premji is known for his modesty, philanthropy and ethical entrepreneurship. In 2001, he established the Azim Premji Foundation, a nonprofit aiming to enhance rural elementary education across India.
I have outlined below the most inspiring quotes by Azim Premji.
Best Azim Premji Quotes
“Success is achieved twice. Once in the mind and the second time in the real world.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“If people are not laughing at your goals, your goals are too small.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“Leadership is the self-confidence of working with people smarter than you.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“People are the key to success or extraordinary success.” ~ (Azim Premji).
Related: Jack Dorsey Quotes
“A girl child who is even a little bit educated is more conscious of family planning, health care and, in turn, her children’s own education.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“When the rate of change outside is more than what is inside, be sure that the end is near.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“In our way of working, we attach a great deal of importance to humility and honesty; With respect for human values, we promise to serve our customers with integrity.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“As you get bigger, you have to learn to delegate.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“We believe this combination of excellence in operations and strong execution of our strategy is critical to achieve our vision. We will continue to focus on both in future as well.” ~ (Azim Premji).
Top Azim Premji Quotes
“The important thing about outsourcing or global sourcing is that it becomes a very powerful tool to leverage talent, improve productivity and reduce work cycles.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“I strongly believe that those of us, who are privileged to have wealth, should contribute significantly to try and create a better world for the millions who are far less privileged.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“We give people major responsibilities even if they are only 60 per cent ready. Our experience is that people are pretty elastic when you give them responsibility, and they just grow rapidly with the job.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“I want Wipro to be among the top ten IT companies in the world.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“As an advisor, I can say what I want. If I were a politician, I would constantly have to compromise, and I’m incapable of doing that.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“Inflation is taking up the poverty line, and poverty is not just economic but defined by way of health and education.” ~ (Azim Premji).
Famous Azim Premji Quotes
“As you get bigger, you have to learn to delegate. It’s also an excellent way to get staff involved in the company’s operations.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“I think the advantage of democracy is that it makes us less dependent on a group of leaders.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“My company believes in hiring people based on merit.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“With the attention I got on my wealth, I thought I would have become a source of resentment, but it is just the other way around – it just generates that much more ambition in many people.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“You cannot get into business for the fashion of it.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“The Indian community in Canada has integrated much better than the Indian community in United States. They’ve become really Canadian at the same time as keeping all their Indian characters and customs and social groups.” ~ (Azim Premji).
Popular Azim Premji Quotes
“One of the prerequisites for children becoming proactive and responsible citizens is the availability of enough role models inside and outside the school.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“There are millions of children today who don’t attend school. However, education is the only way to get ahead in this country.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“The strategic initiatives we propose to undertake as part of our plan over the next few years position us well to lead this evolution.” ~ (Azim Premji).
“The Western world loves liberalization, provided it doesn’t affect them.” ~ (Azim Premji).
