Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro, today said that he will commit more of his wealth for philanthropy.
The billionaire founder of the soaps-to-software company is scaling up its efforts to improve the quality of education system in India through the Azim Premji Foundation.
In a letter for the first international “Giving Pledge” group Premji said: “The Foundation plans to scale up to 4,000-5,000 people over the next five years.”
Currently, it employs 800 people. “The developments of the past two years have given me confidence in our scaled up and institutional strategy,” added Premji.
The members of the Giving Pledge commit to give away at least half their wealth to charitable organisations and philanthropic causes. The Giving Pledge, established three years ago by Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, and Warren Buffett, was designed to promote a debate over philanthropy and encourage rich individuals to give money away to worthwhile causes. Premji has donated 8.7 per cent of the total stock of Wipro from his personal stock for philanthropy in 2010, which formed the endowment for this foundation. The other new participants announced were John Caudwell, Chris and Jamie Cooper-Hohn, Andrew and Nicola Forrest, Mo Ibrahim, Patrice and Precious Motsepe, Hasso Plattner, David Sainsbury and Vincent Tan Chee Yioun.
Comments:
Excellent work Dr.Azim Premji - MAY GOD GIVE HEALTH WEALTH AND
HAPPINESS to you and your family.
Rudy Surendra
I am hearing the news about Shri A H Premiji foundation is committed
to bring revolution in primary school system in India since long.
However, it looks like they have started some 6-7 schools so far with
students around couple of hundred. Is this the Wipro cazar thinks to
address the primary education problem of country of 1.2 billion
population? Are they serious or just hypocratic gestures just as all
other people are doing. I have very high regards for Shri Premji and
also worked for Wipro 10 years back. I have limited knowledge but
still thinks that at published resources I could have started at least
100 schools by now and 1000 in 10 years. The only need from Premji
foundation is management system and quality school building experience
sharing mechanism all other material resources will be provided by
local people if Premji foundation serious about revolutionizing
primary education in country. If it is just marketing gimmicks then
better I would stop here.
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