Wipro marks 80 years since incorporation as Rishad Premji shares original company certificate

Wipro’s shift towards technology gathered pace in the 1980s with its entry into hardware and software development.

By  Storyboard18| Jan 2, 2026 11:10 AM
Wipro’s shift towards technology gathered pace in the 1980s with its entry into hardware and software development.

Wipro marked its 80th anniversary on December 29, 2025, commemorating eight decades since the company was incorporated as Western India Vegetable Products Limited, a business founded before India’s independence, according to details shared on social media.

Wipro Executive Chairman Rishad Premji took to X to mark the milestone and shared a digital copy of the company’s original certificate of incorporation, which carried its earliest name and highlighted its beginnings in Amalner, Maharashtra. Premji stated that Wipro was founded on December 29, 1945, nearly two years before India became independent in 1947, and informed that he felt grateful and humbled to be part of the company’s continuing journey.

The company was established in 1945 by Mohamed Husain Hasham Premji as a manufacturer of vegetable ghee and refined oils under the name Western India Vegetable Products. Over the years, it expanded into soaps, personal care products and consumer goods before diversifying into technology services.

Wipro’s shift towards technology gathered pace in the 1980s with its entry into hardware and software development. By the early 1990s, the company pivoted towards offshore software services and went on to become one of India’s leading exporters of IT solutions, supported by leadership from the Premji family and later professional management.

Today, Wipro Limited operates as a global IT services, consulting and business process firm with a presence in more than 60 countries and a workforce exceeding 170,000 employees. The company provides services across cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital transformation, analytics and application development, serving sectors such as financial services, healthcare, retail and telecommunications.

Alongside its technology operations, Wipro has continued its non-IT businesses through its affiliate Wipro Enterprises, which markets consumer products including personal care brands and lighting solutions. Legacy brands such as Santoor and Chandrika soaps, which trace their origins to the company’s early years, continue to be widely recognised in India.

The anniversary comes at a time of strategic change for the company. In 2025, Wipro announced organisational restructuring to align its global operations around technology, consulting and business process services, and pursued acquisitions aimed at strengthening its digital and engineering capabilities.

First Published onJan 2, 2026 11:52 AM

SPOTLIGHT

Special CoverageCalling India’s Boldest Brand Makers: Entries Open for the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

From purpose-driven work and narrative-rich brand films to AI-enabled ideas and creator-led collaborations, the awards reflect the full spectrum of modern creativity.

Read More

“Confusion creates opportunity for agile players,” Sir Martin Sorrell on industry consolidation

Looking ahead to the close of 2025 and into 2026, Sorrell sees technology platforms as the clear winners. He described them as “nation states in their own right”, with market capitalisations that exceed the GDPs of many countries.