Mohamed Hasham Premji

Mohamed Hasham Premji was a prominent Indian businessman who founded Western India Palm Refined Oils Limited in 1945, establishing the foundation for what would eventually become Wipro Limited, one of the world's largest IT services conglomerates.

Mohamed Hasham Premji founded Wipro in 1945 as a vegetable oil refining company in western India, recognizing the massive domestic demand for edible oils in the post-colonial era. Under his leadership, the company grew into a diversified consumer goods manufacturer, producing soaps, candles, and lighting products. Although it was his son, Azim Premji, who ultimately orchestrated the radical pivot into information technology, Hasham Premji's foundational emphasis on operational discipline, quality control, and navigating the complex bureaucratic landscape of the License Raj established the corporate DNA that would allow Wipro to survive and thrive in the highly competitive global technology sector. His legacy is one of building a resilient, diversified industrial base from the ground up in a challenging economic environment.