Wipro Chairman Azim Premji to donate more to philanthropic causes

“Driven by my own instinctive understanding and beliefs and influenced by many ideals of trusteeship, I have irrevocably donated about 39 per cent of the wealth of Wipro to the Azim Premji Foundation. I would like to donate much more to this foundation and I will do that in the course of rest of my life,” he said here.

The Indian Merchants Chamber here on Tuesday conferred a lifetime achievement award on Premji, who in his speech asked business leaders to engage with society in a bigger way.

Personal involvement and building institutions should be the key to this engagement, he said.

Speaking of his own journey as philanthropist which started in 2001, Premji said being rich “did not thrill” him.

“I have always felt intuitively that such large wealth cannot be the privy of any one person or family,” he said.

Azim Premji Foundation is present across the diverse aspects of education sector, from running or supporting schools to influencing policy, Premji says, adding that its personnel have played a role in the overhaul of the upcoming education policy.

He also touched upon following the path of integrity which “was not easy” and “was particularly difficult in the early stages of my life when we were trying to establish that we cherish integrity.” by Agencies,