When I took over the family business, it had already been a publicly traded company for 20 years. During one of the first annual meetings I attended, one shareholder stood up and advised me and everyone in attendance that I should resign.

My dad told me he wanted me to join in the business, but nothing was firm. He was quite young when he died, so we hadn't talked about it in depth.

I was studying at Stanford University with two quarters left to go before receiving an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. Then, I got the telephone call from my mother. I had no choice. I went home, and I jumped into the company feet first, right from day one. There was no time to grieve my father.

I inherited the company from my father after he died very unexpectedly from a heart attack in 1966. He was just 51 years old, and I was 21.

Private sector cannot substitute the role of the government in primary education.

If there are differences of views or divergence of ideas, they can be resolved through discussion and dialogue.

I strongly believe that those of us who are privileged to have wealth should contribute significantly to try and create a better world for the millions who are far less privileged.

We understand how to build and manage businesses that involve technology, engineering, and people at a large scale on a global platform.

Our business model is primarily that of consulting, engineering, system integration, and managed services.

Despite widely differing perspectives and agendas, there seems to be a remarkable global consensus that has built up over a fairly short period of time that climate change and ecology is one of the truly defining issues for humanity.

Ecology and economy are becoming inextricably entwined, and the world is becoming more conscious of this fact.

The job of nation building, the job of nation leadership in a difficult, complex coalition has worked.

The importance of this success of Wipro has become manifold more, because it's the success of Wipro that enables the possibility of making a difference to some of the most disadvantaged people in the world.

What is excellence? It is about going a little beyond what we expect from ourselves. Part of the need for excellence is imposed on us externally by our customers. Our competition keeps us on our toes, especially when it is global in nature.

Excellence is a great starting point for any new organisation but also an unending journey.

Excellence endures and sustains. It goes beyond motivation into the realms of inspiration.

Excellence can be as strong a uniting force as solid vision.

I don't think being a Muslim or being a non-Muslim has been an advantage or disadvantage.

People are beginning to realize that education is power, that education is money, that education is an opportunity.

This whole issue of Hindu-Muslim in India is completely overhyped.

Customers are now driven by trying to optimize value.

The customer is a remarkably selfish person: He takes the relationship to where the execution is in his favor.

People are realistic enough to appreciate what the market values of different people are.

The old boys' club of closed tennis court relationships is on the way out.