India is on an excellent unicorn spree. According to a report by IVCA-Bain & Co, India topped China creating 23 unicorns in 2022 for the second time in a row, taking the total number of such high value companies to 96, as against China’s 11 in the year. One of the major reasons behind this success is the favorable ecosystem that has gathered around the country. But Indian entrepreneurs traditionally never had such a luxury. This is a land known for entrepreneurs who made the unthinkable possible. The story of Azim Hashim Premji, the former Chairman of Wipro, is the epitome of this.

Today, most entrepreneurial ventures are born out of sheer passion. It’s a great thing too. But in 1966, when the news of his father’s death shook the young Azim

Premji, the 21-year old boy took a bold decision to give up his academic career at Stanford University, where he was studying engineering, and return home. He started from where his father (Muhammed Hashim Premji) left off, taking over the family business. Hashim was also an established businessman who incorporated Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd., based out of Amalner a small town on the outskirts of Maharashtra.

A born leader, Azim soon diversified the company into manufacturing bakery fats, toiletries hair care soaps, lighting products and hydraulic cylinders. But at his heart he always kept a boutique space for his engineering days at Stanford University. In the early 80s, when opportunities from the emerging IT industry came knocking on the doors, Azim was quick to pounce. He, in truth, took excellent advantage of the market gap left behind by the withdrawal of IBM from India. Even though it took decades of time and effort, he fulfilled his passion.

At the age of 16, Dhirubhai Ambani started his journey working as a Petrol Pump Attendant in Yemen. It’s important to reminisce that most Indian business leaders fought against the time and their fate. Perseverance worked, works, and will work.