IT stalwart Azim Premji has become the first Indian to receive the 'Greatest Entrepreneurs of All Time' title, applauded in the US magazine BusinessWeek's list of 30 all-time achievers.
Premji shares the top space with the likes of Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Michael Dell. Chief of Nasdaq-listed IT firm Wipro, Premji is the only Indian to make it to the list. He has been recognised for his vision and leadership that has been responsible for Wipro emerging as one of the world's fastest growing companies, a company statement said.

Premji: Greatest entrepreneur

The list honours the ideas and innovation of the world's 30 most influential people and includes 15th century explorer Admiral Zheng H to present day leaders like Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell to name a few.

Azim Premji was highlighted for his success in turning a $3-million vegetable oil company to a global leader in IT services based on a foundation of values and consistently delivering premium quality to customers, it said.

Premji has been the chairman of Wipro Ltd from 1966 when he took over the company after his return from Stanford.

The US magazine BusinessWeek 'Top 30 All Time Entrepreneurs' list is compiled based on opinions from professors, authors and other BusinessWeek staffers.

The criteria looks at people who had the vision to create new markets or tap into underserved markets, changing the way people lived in the process.

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