BENGALURU: Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro Limited, on Wednesday received the highest French civilian distinction, Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour), from the Ambassador of France to India, Alexandre Ziegler. Ambassador Ziegler said,“The award was bestowed on Azim Premji for his outstanding contribution to developing the information technology industry in India, his economic outreach in France and his laudable contribution to society as a philanthropist through the Azim Premji Foundation and Azim Premji University.”
The Légion d’Honneur (the Legion of Honour), instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour.
In his acceptance speech, Premji said, “I am extremely honoured by the award bestowed on me. The vibrancy of French democracy and its diversity is an inspiration to everyone across the world.”Wipro’s association with France spans over 15 years and the company enjoys a close relationship with several French organizations.
Nearly 65% of Wipro’s employees in France are locals. France is a key market for Wipro and the company is committed to continued investments there.