I think Premji has this unusual capability and that is what brings first-rate talent to Wipro,” says Bagchi. Once, Wipro refused to pay a bribe of #1 lakh for a power connection at its Tumkur manufacturing facility. “Premji never hesitated to admit if he didn’t understand anything. Banerjee, who went on to lead L&T Infotech as its CEO after leaving Wipro, said that Premji … “Why the hell did you book such a big room for me?” he asked Behar. “He walked into my cubicle and asked me how my time was being divided.
Little things such as printing on both sides of the paper, turning the lights off or travelling economy on domestic flights brought a sense of discipline in the company, according to Natarajan. As a person, Premji is understated and drove a Ford Escort for the longest time. “We saw that while the door was open for others to come into India, it was also open for us to go out. Azim Premji also referred to as the Indian Business tycoon, is a businessman, philanthropist, and the chairman of one of the leading IT companies, Wipro Limited.He is often known for his dynamic personality and charitable works along with being one of the most influential business leaders in India. Azim Premji, in full Azim Hasham Premji, (born July 24, 1945, Bombay [now Mumbai], India), Indian business entrepreneur who served as chairman of Wipro Limited, guiding the company through four decades of diversification and growth to emerge as a world leader in the software industry. To read our edgy stories and access our archives, you’ve to subscribeThe Wipro interviews were legendary and played a crucial role in winning over those who were unaware of the then fledgling company.
Indian tech magnate Azim Premji's $8.4 billion (revenue) Wipro is India's fourth-largest outsourcer. In 1999, Wipro turned into the main Indian PC producer to get Y2K-consistent affirmation from the National Software Testing Laboratory in the US.Premji is known to carry on with a straightforward parsimonious way of life. His first priority was to bring in a culture built on strong values,” says Ranjekar, one of the earliest people to join the company in 1976. But it is life’s biggest blessing if you get to work with an extraordinary human being like Premji, who not only has an amazing work ethic but has shown that in a country like India where almost everything has a price, integrity can be non-negotiable. Ram Agarwal, managing director, WeP Peripherals, remembers his interview rather vividly, “I reached the Wipro office at seven in the morning.
There would be some things you have lost track of but it will all be there in the file,” says Mitta.In fact, he asked Agarwal to suggest a car that he could also use on long road trips or a vacation. After a few seconds, he told me, ‘Spend another 20% of your time in debtor management.’ I told him, ‘but Mr Premji, it doesn’t add up.’ He said, ‘That is the point.
You need to give them independence but must also demonstrate a high degree of critical questioning capability. In 2001, Azim Premji founded the Azim Premji Foundation to provide quality elementary education in rural areas.