Honoured for his efforts to reform the school system

Wipro Chairman Azim Premji is among the recepients of this year’s Carnegie Medal, considered the most prestigious prize in philanthropy, for his efforts to reform India’s public school system.

Mr. Premji, 70, who founded the Azim Premji Foundation, is among the nine recipients recognised “for their outstanding and innovative leadership in philanthropy”.

Carnegie Corporation said in a statement that after transforming Wipro into a leading international corporation, Mr. Premji turned his attention to improving the country’s public school system. “This extraordinary undertaking is driven by the Azim Premji Foundation’s direct field work, currently serving seven states and over 3,00,000 schools and with plans to expand,” it said.

“The foundation’s university and field institutions work synergistically toward the goal of creating a more equitable and just India,” the statement said.

The recipients of the medal include Mei Hing Chak, founder of the Heung Kong Charitable Foundation in China, Julian Robertson of the Robertson Foundation in the U.S. and American entrepreneur Jeff Skoll who founded the Skoll Foundation. H.F. Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest, Shelby White, James D. Wolfensohn and Kristine Tompkins are the other honorees.

The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy was established in 2001 and is awarded every two years. The recepients will be honoured in a ceremony to be held in October.