Azim Premji wins Business Leaders Award in UK

LONDON: Well-known Indian IT czar and philanthropist Azim Premji has received the Asian Business Leaders Award in the UK.

"For both his business acumen and his notable contributions to Indian social causes, Mr Premji is a very well-deserved recipient of the Asian Business Leaders Award," UK business secretary Vince Cable said in his welcome address at a ceremony yesterday.

"With 40 per cent of the world's High Growth Markets located in Asia, it is more important than ever to recognise the role of Asian businesspeople in contributing so much to the strength and breadth of the UK economy," he added.

The chairman of Wipro Limited joins the likes of former Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata and Lord Green, UK minister of state for trade and investment, as a recipient of the honour presented by Asia House, a non-profit pan-Asian organisation based in the UK.

The annual award recognises individuals who embody the principle of 'Servant Leader' - economic success and professional excellence accompanied by moral leadership and service to society.

"We are delighted to honour a business leader admired greatly by the Asia House community. Azim Premji has achieved outstanding success as a global business leader. He has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to social and education issues through both organisations and people making him a most deserving recipient of the Asian Business Leaders Award," said Sir John Boyd, chairman of Asia House.

The award itself was presented to Premji by Britain's Foreign Office minister, Hugo Swire.