Wipro Limited is an Indian multinational technology company based in Bengaluru. It provides information technology, consulting and business process services, and is one of India's Big Six IT services companies. Wipro's services include cloud computing, computer security, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, and other technologies.[4]
History
Early years
The company was incorporated on 29 December 1945 in Amalner by MH Hasham Premji as Western India Vegetable Products Limited, a manufacturer of cooking oils. In 1966, after Hasham Premji's death, his son Azim Premji took over as chairperson at age 21.
The company changed its name to Wipro Products Limited in 1977, followed by Wipro Limited, a syllabic abbreviation of the original name, in 1982.
Shift to IT
In the 1980s, recognizing opportunities in computer hardware and software, the company established subsidiaries Wipro Infotech and Wipro Systems. In 1981, Wipro developed the first Indian minicomputer based on the Intel 8086 chip in an IISc lab.[5][6] The software division began in 1984 with the development of a spreadsheet and word-processing suite but shifted to offshore software development in 1990.[7]
By the mid-1990s, Wipro had become one of India's leading manufacturers of personal computers, peripherals, and medical diagnostic equipment.[8] In 1998, the company reported being the second-largest software exporter from India,[9] and gradually increased its focus on the higher-
Operations
Wipro serves clients in industries such as financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and telecommunications. As of 2025, its service offerings are divided under four global business lines (GBLs), each having different leaders:[23][24]
- Wipro Technology Services: IT services in cloud, cybersecurity, data analytics, artificial intelligence, enterprise applications, and design, among other domains.
- Wipro Consulting Services: Strategy advisory and business consulting services.
- Wipro Engineering Edge: Engineering, research and development (ER&D) services for semiconductors and embedded systems, software-defined systems, Industry 4.0, and communications, among others.
- Wipro Business Process Services: Business process management (BPM) services.
Acquisitions
Listing and shareholding
Wipro's equity shares have been listed on Bombay Stock Exchange since 1946 and the National Stock Exchange of India where it is a constituent of the NIFTY 50. The American Depositary Shares of the company are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) since October 2000.[49]
As of 2025, the promoter group headed by Azim Premji held a 72.67% stake in the company, while the remaining shares were with public shareholders and an employee trust.[50] Since 2019, proceeds from the promoter group's 67% stake have been directed to the philanthropic activities of Azim Premji Foundation.[51][52]
Employees
As of March 2024, Wipro had 234,054 employees from 146 nationalities, out of which 36.6% were women. It had 26 offices in India and 58 offices in overseas locations.[53]
List of CEOs since 1981:[54]
Sponsorships
- Wipro, as a member of the Electronic City Industries Association, partly funded the construction of the 9-km Electronic City Elevated Expressway in Bangalore which opened in 2010.[62]
Criticism
Embezzlement case
In December 2009, Wipro discovered that a junior employee had embezzled $4 million from the company, prompting an investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into the company's internal financial controls. In December 2016, Wipro settled the case by paying a $5 million penalty, without admitting or denying SEC's allegations that its controls were deficient.[66][67]
Discrimination lawsuit
In 2020, five former employees in the US filed a class-action lawsuit in a New Jersey court accusing Wipro of employment discrimination against individuals who were not of South Asian or Indian origin, alleging that more than 80% of the company's 14,000 employees in the US were of South Asian origin.[68]
Salary offer cuts
External links
References
- Wipro's headcount increases by 6,529 employees in Q3FY26 Moneycontrol, 10 March 2026, retrieved 25 July 2025^
- Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Azim Premji Bloomberg.com, retrieved 28 May 2019^
- Audited Standalone and Consolidated financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2025