IGNOU conferred Rajiv Gandhi International Prize on the Azim Premji Foundation

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on 28 September 2011 conferred the Rajiv Gandhi International Prize for Technology in Education and Development on the Azim Premji Foundation. The award instituted by the university in its silver jubilee year was presented to Azim Premji by Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.

Azim Premji, upon receiving the awaerd stressed on the need of integrating IT with mainstream education which would then prove far more useful in disseminating education among adults than children. Azim Hashim Premji is an Indian business tycoon and philanthropist who is the chairman of Wipro Limited. He founded Azim Premji foundation in 2001.

Azim Premji Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, operational since 2001, with a vision to significantly contribute towards a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. The Foundation has been active in supporting the primary education sector. It has partnered with state governments across India to pilot initiatives that have the potential for systemic reform to enhance the quality of elementary education within government run school systems.

According to IGNOU, the award comprising of Rs.five lakh cash and a citation is given to individual or institution that contributed significantly in education, particularly educational technology, for development in developing countries across the world.