Rishad Premji celebrates Wipro’s 80 years, shares original certificate of incorporation: 'Humbled'

The business was established by Mohamed Husain Hasham Premji in 1945 as a manufacturer of vegetable ghee and refined oils.

Indian technology and consulting company Wipro celebrated its 80th anniversary on 29 December 2025, marking eight decades since its incorporation as Western India Vegetable Products Limited, a business founded before India gained independence.

Wipro’s Executive Chairman, Rishad Premji, took to X to commemorate the milestone by sharing a digital copy of the company’s original certificate of incorporation, which bore its earliest name and reflected its modest beginnings in Amalner, Maharashtra. In his post, Premji wrote that Wipro was born on December 29, 1945, almost two years before India’s independence in 1947, and expressed his gratitude at being part of its ongoing legacy.

The business was established by Mohamed Husain Hasham Premji in 1945 as a manufacturer of vegetable ghee and refined oils under the name Western India Vegetable Products. Over the subsequent decades, the company expanded into soap and personal care products, consumer goods and later diversified into information technology services.

Wipro’s transformation into a technology leader began in the 1980s when it ventured into hardware and software development. By the early 1990s, it had shifted focus to offshore software services, eventually becoming one of India’s leading exporters of IT solutions. The company’s growth was driven in part by visionary leadership from the Premji family and later professional executives.

Wipro turned 80 yesterday, born December 29, 1945. We were founded two years before the independence of India. This is the oldest archival copy of the certificate of incorporation of Western India Vegetable Products, the Wipro of today. Humbled and grateful to be part of this… pic.twitter.com/ua61dWtJCb

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— Rishad Premji (@RishadPremji) December 30, 2025

Today, Wipro Limited is a global IT services, consulting and business process firm with operations in more than 60 countries and a workforce of over 170,000 employees. It provides technology solutions across cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital transformation, analytics and application development, serving clients in diverse sectors including financial services, healthcare, retail and telecommunications.

Over its 80-year history, Wipro has also maintained non-IT businesses through its affiliate Wipro Enterprises, which continues to market consumer products such as personal care brands and lighting solutions. Brands born out of its early years, such as Santoor and Chandrika soaps, remain household names in parts of India.

The milestone has also coincided with strategic developments for the company. In 2025, Wipro announced organisational changes to align its global business lines around technology, consulting and business process services, and made significant acquisitions aimed at bolstering its digital and engineering capabilities.