Wipro Ltd. (India)

The Company is engaged in the business of IT software, services and related activities. The Company operates through two segments: IT services and IT products. The Company s IT services business provides a range of IT and IT-enabled services, which include digital strategy advisory, technology consulting, IT consulting, re-engineering and maintenance, systems integration, global infrastructure services, analytics services, research and development and hardware and software design. The IT Products segment provides a range of third-party IT products, which allows it to offer IT system integration services. Its products include computing, platforms and storage, networking solutions, enterprise information security, and software products, including databases and operating systems.
In 1945 : The Company was incorporated on December 29, 1945.
In 1947: The Company s shares were listed on Bombay Stock Exchange on June 13,1947.
In 1971: 5,667 Bonus shares issued in prop. 1:3.
In 1977: The Company s name was changed from Western India Vegetable Products Ltd to Wipro Products Ltd on June 7, 1977.
In 1980:
-22,667 Bonus shares issued in prop. 1:1.
-Diversifies into information technology.
In 1983: The Company undertook to establish manufacturing facilities at Tumkur, for the manufacturing of hydraulic tipping systems.
In 1984:
The Company s name was changed form Wipro Products Ltd to Wipro Ltd on April 28, 1984.
-45,334 Bonus shares issued in prop. 1:1. 1,500 shares issued at par to employees of the Company and its subsidiaries.
In 1986: Equity share subdivided, 9,21,680 Bonus equity shares of Rs. 10 each then issued in prop. 1:1.
In 1987: Ralak a tulsi based family soap and 'Wipro Jasmine a toilet soap was launched.
In 1988:The Company diversified the product line into heavy duty industrial cylinders and mobile hydraulic cylinders.
In 1989:
The Company set up a joint venture company with General Electric of U.S.A., in the name of Wipro GE Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd., for the manufacture, sale and service of diagnostic and imaging products. The Joint Venture has also an OEM sourcing arrangement with Elpro International Ltd., for locally made x-ray products. In 1990, the joint venture became a subsidiary of the Company.
-18,43,360 Bonus shares issued in prop. 1:1.
In 1990:
Santoor talcum powder, a brand extension and Wipro Baby Soft were launched in the market.
-The Company established a relationship with Eaton Corporation, U.S.A. for marketing of hydraulic products in India.
In 1991:
Tipping systems were launched. The Company undertook to set up a high technology plant and R D Centre at Aurangabad with an investment of Rs 40 crores. The product range was to include incandescent lamps, linear and circular fluorescent lamps, accessories and luminaries.
-Eaton Hydraulic products were launched. The Company set up a new Unit Wipro Financial Services Ltd. , for serving customers with capital resources, expertise and ideas to help solve their financial needs.
-The Company launched baby soft toiletries viz. soap, powder and oilbased on natural ingredients of lanolin, olive, milk and almonds. Feeding bottles followed in 1994.
-The Company partnering with world leaders markets and supports a wide range of equipment and consumables for the medical, diagnostic and Bio-analytical markets.
In 1992:
-The Computed tomography, ultra sound and specialised x-ray systems were launched. It added to itself, products from Becton Dickinson Bio-Rad Labs and Serono Diagnostics with a view to becoming a single comprehensive source for bio-research and diagnostic instruments.
-The Wipro Fluid Power division has developed expertise to offer standard hydraulic cylinders for construction equipment and truck tipping systems. The company had introduced the State-of-the-art cartridge valves from Sun Hydraulics, USA for the Indian market. A second manufacturing unit has been set up at Hindpurto augment capacity.
-The Company issued 2,00,000-18.5 secured redeemable non-convertible debentures of Rs 100 each on private placement basis. These are redeemable in three equal annual instalments commencing on 23rd March, 1998 and 5 premium payable on redemption.
-The Company issued 19 non-convertible debentures of Rs 500,000,000 on private placement basis. These are redeemable on 9th September,
In 1994:
-Wipro Infotech Ltd., Wipro Systems Ltd., Wipro Investment Ltd., Inlec Investment Ltd., and Wipro GE Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd., are subsidiaries of the Company.
-36,86,720 Bonus shares issued in prop. 1:1. -Wipro is providing services of IT IS consulting for E-business Transformation, Electric Commerce, Web Enabling, ERP, Data Warehousing, Customer Relationship Management. 1993
- Wipro Shikakai Herbal Power a hair care product based on a judicious mix of seven herbs was launched during the year.
-The Company developed various cylinders for critical applications such as excavators, backhole loaders, wheel loaders etc.
-The Company proposed to enter into a financial joint venture with Beckman Instruments Incorporated, U.S.A., for manufacture of bio-analytical instruments (diagnostic instruments and reagents) in India and to develop software and hardware for international use by Beckman. Necessary steps were undertaken to implement the letter of intent for the manufacture of analytical instruments. Manufacturing facilities were being established in Gurgaon, Haryana and business operations pertaining to the facilities were to be carried out from Delhi.
-Wipro BioMed proposed to add a Medical division to offer a comprehensive range of products in cardiology and patient monitoring from PPG Hellige.
-The Company has set up an overseas design centre, Odyssey 21 for undertaking projects and product developments in advanced technologies for overseas clients. Five of Wipro s manufacturing and development facilities secured the ISO 9001 certification during 1994-95.
Wipro Infotech and Wipro Systems were amalgamated with Wipro in Apr. 94.
In 1995:
-The Company s shares were listed on National Stock Exchange on November 8, 1995.
-A second manufacturing facility was commissioned at Hindupur in A.P. where latest technology such as horizontal induction hardening, friction welding, high productivity skiving and roller burnishing has been installed.
-The Company developed portable ultra sound scanner logiq X 100, having a range of clinical applications. The Company introduced olive oil enriched baby powder during the year.
-76,38,545 Bonus equity shares issued in prop. 1:1. 2,65,105 No. of equity shares of Rs 10 each allotted to existing shareholders of Wipro Infotech Ltd., and Wipro Systems Ltd., respectively.
In 1996: -Registered office of Wipro shifted from Mumbai to Bangalore.
In 1997: -The Company has been providing design and development services to the technology sector. A MOU was signed with Nenoki AG, Switzerland for technical know-how.
In 1998: -The Company Consumer Care Segment of the Company has been manufacturing Santoor, a sandal and turmeric based safe soap for skin with natural ingredients. The Wipro Consumer Care division relaunched milk and rose toilet soap in north India. Wipro Shikakai was extended to Wipro herbal, India s first anti dandruff soap. Wipro s Camel brand is a leader catering to the commercial biscuit manufacturers and bakeries.
-305,54,180 bonus shares issued in proportion 2:1.
In 1999:
-The Company Net formed. Wipro acquires Wipro Acer.
-The Company Peripherals launched on Friday the Wipro Proline range, which is the first bilingual Line Matrix Printers (LMPs) that can simultaneously print in English and Devnagri (Hindi). The Bangalore-based company has also set up a language lab for research and development of products which support other regional languages.
-The Company SuperGenius personal computers (PCs) have become the only Indian PC range to obtain the US-based National Software Testing Laboratory s (NSTL) Certification for Year 2000 (Y2K) compliance. The operating systems of Wipro SuperGenius PCs are also Y2K compliant.
-The Company and Acer Computer International Ltd of Singapore on Wednesday announced the end of their joint venture operations in the country.
-The Company, the Bangalore-based infotech major, will be the first company in Corporate India to split its part value shares of Rs 10 each.
-Currently, Wipro s share capital is Rs 45.83 crore, comprising 45.83m shares of the face value of Rs 10 each. The sub-division of shares will be subject to Sebi guidelines, said a notice issued by the company to the BSE.
-The Company is also proposing to set up a new employee stock option plan for its permanent employees. Yet another resolution the company takes up at its AGM is to split the existing Rs 10 equity shares of Wipro into five each of Rs 2 face value.
-The Company has joined hands with a global telecom major KPN (Royal Dutch telecom) to form a joint venture company to provide internet services in India.
-The Company would control the majority stake of 55 per cent while the remaining will be with KPN. The joint venture company -- Wipro Net Limited -- also intends to divest a part of its equity to the Indian public within three years.
-The Company is picking up a 4.85 per cent equity stake in the Chennai-based Kaashyap Radiant Systems Ltd (KRSL). For the purpose, Wipro is subscribing to 5 lakh equity shares of KRSL with an investment of Rs 50 lakh.
-Out of the public issue, 3.2 lakh shares of Rs 10 each are reserved to the employees of KRSL and 2.6 lakh equity shares to NRIs/OCBs/FIIs, while the rest is being set aside for the public.
In 2000:
-The Company s shares were listed on New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on October 19, 2000.
-The Company proposes to issue ADR/GDR linked stock options to employees of the company, its subsidiaries and associates up to an amount not exceeding 150 millions.
-The Company has set up a new division to capitalise on the emerging opportunities in the internet arena.
-The Company has entered into a tie-up with Vignette Corp of the US to provide co-developed solutions for online businesses, according to a news release from Wipro.
-The Company technologies, has become a global implementation alliance partner of Mercator software, Inc. (Nasdaq MCTR), an e-business transformation company.
-The Company has become the second largest company in terms of market capitalisation on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
-The Company for the fourth year has won the top award of STPI for software exports for the year 1999-2000.
-The Company has been awarded first prize, at national level, for outstanding export performance during 1999-2000 from the Software Technology Parks of India.
-The Company has launched solutions for convergent networks called Wipro OSS Smart and Wipro WAP Smart targeted at Internet and telecom solution providers.
-The Company Peripherals, the division of Wipro, has entered into a strategic business partnership with Kilburn Reprographics to consolidate its position in the government and PSUs.
-Microsoft has decided to tie up with Indian software majors like Wipro to outsource some part of the software development work for the .Net as well as other projects.
-The Peripherals Division of Wipro Infotech will be hived off as a separate entity, largely owned by employees led by Mr. Ram N Agarwal.
-The Company has proposed a new ESOP plan (WESOP) 2000) as its earlier WESOP 1999 is expected to be exhausted over the next few months.
-The Company had tied-up with Japan s telecoms technology firm Bussan Systems Integration Co. to develop BSI s requirement of mobile telecoms technologies.
-The Company Baby Soft, the bay care brand of Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, has declared six babies 'Wipro Baby Soft Millennium Babies and presented them with an education bond worth Rs 1 lakh and a gift hamper.
-Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency Ltd has reaffirmed the 'A1+ rating assigned to the Rs. 100-crore commercial paper programme of Wipro Ltd.
-The Company has bagged the PC Quest s User s Choice Awards, 2000, in the Home ahd Office OC Segment.
-The Company set up multiple digital exchanges for the IT marketplace.
-The Company Corporation, has tied up with City based merchant bankers BNK group for setting up the first call centre in eastern India.
-The Indian unit of US-based Citrix Systems Inc, a maker of network software, that it had tied up with Wipro Ltd to market its software in India.
-The Company Net, the internet services provider arm of Wipro Corporation, has set up three nodes in Kochi, Coimbatore and Jamshedpur, thereby expanding its presence to 11 cities in the country.
-The Company will make an American Depository Receipts issue of 150- 300 million.
-Infotech major Wipro launched 01Markets.com, a portal for the IT Industry.
-The Company has informed that it has file a registered statement with Securities and Exchange Commission covering a proposed public offer of 27,50,000 Amrican Depository Shares, representing 27,50,000 equity shares (excluding the underwriters option to purchase an additional 4,12,500 American Depository Shares representng 4,12,500 equity shares to cover overallotments, if any).
-The Company has acquired two properties from Cidco in Navi Mumbai to set up state-of-the-art software development facilities.
-The Company. is setting up software development facilities in Navi Mumbai.
-The Company has tied-up with the US-based Software Technologies Corporation (STC), to market STC s software services.
-01markets, the neutral B2B digital marketplace of Wipro, was launched in Bangalore .
-The Company s ISP, NetKracker, has tied up with a L T s finance portal LTtrade.com to offer financial services on the Net to the retail segment.
-Arun Thiagarajan, putting an end to a two year controversial carrer as vice chairman of Wipro and chief executive officer of Wipro Infotech, has moved to the India Operations of Hewlett-Packard (HP) as president.
-The Company has entered into an agreement with ICICI Venture Fund Management Compeny Ltd. for an investment of Rs 30 crore or 51 per cent equity interest in Net Kracker Ltd. by ICICI.
-Infotech major Wipro Ltd has acquired a 45 per cent stake in the Internet service provider Wipro Net Ltd, from Dutch telecommunications operator KPN Telecom at Rs 108.8 crore.
In 2001:
-The Company Infotech spun off its peripherals services division into a new legal entity, Wipro e-Peripherals Sep 2000. In Feb. 2001, Wipro became the first software technology and services company in India to be certified for ISO 14001 certification for complying with the international standards for Environmental Management System (EMS) in three major software development and technology centres in Bangalore.
-The Company has been awarded the ISO 9002 certification for Network Management, Service Implementation and Customer Relationship Management.
-Mr. Vivek Paul, the Vice Chairman of the company and Wipro Technologies, has been elected as Director to the Board of the California Chamber of Commerce for a three-year term with effect from January 1.
-01markets.com, the digital market place for IT products and services promoted by Wipro has launched an online trade fair -- 01 Web fair to offer products including servers, and bundled software at rock bottom prices.
-The Company Infotech s Software Enterprises division has won the Top Partner of the Year 2000 award for news business performance at the second iPlanet Asia Pacific Partner Summit at Phuket, Thailand.
-The Company Consumer Care and Lighting Group has entered the market of Compact Fluorescent Lamps, with the launch of a range of CFL, under the brand name of Wipro Smartlite.
-The Company Net has enterisng into a strategic tie up with the US-based Speedera Networks Inc.
-The Company chairman Azim Premji has pledged 2.06 million equity shares of Wipro in favour of ICICI in the option agreement involving Wipro Net, according to the company s annual report for financial 2001.
-Indian hardware vendors such as Wipro and HCL have signed up with Intel for the launch of servers with Intel's Itanium processor. The Itanium processor follows a parallel instruction computing, which significantly boosts performance, said Mr Narendra Bhandari, general manager, Internet solutions group, Intel, in a meeting with presspersons.
-The Company Peripherals, the largest employee-owned company in the country, on August 16 announced its tieup with the US-based Network Appliance, to offer storage solutions and content delivery solutions in India.
-Technologies,The Company has been consolidating its communications-oriented business. During FY2000-01, its business in communications grew to Rs 1,044.61 crore from a base of Rs 586.13 crore in 1999-00.
-The Company Net has been amalgamated with the company with effect from Ist April 2001 which will enable it to synergise the customer offerings under one management and enable it to offer the specialized telecom skills available within both the companies.
In 2002:
-The Company has informed that the Mr. Hamir K Vissanji, the Director, has resigned from the Board with effect from January 15, 2002.
-The Company has strong software engineering processes also achieved ISO 9000 certification. Wipro is the first software company to get SEI Level 5 also implemented Six Sigma TQM practices to software projects and support functions.
-The Company launched its German operations based out of Frankfurt which will address the requirements of the enterprise for bussiness applications as well as R D outsourcing requirements of technology companies.
-The Company decided to acquire 66 stake in Spectramind e-services the 93 million deal on July 31, 2002. Post-deal, Wipro s stake in the company was around 90 per cent.
-The Company has informed BSE that the Board of Directors vide circular resolution effective August 01, 2002 resolved to issue and allot 337 equity shares of Rs 2 each pursuant to exercise of stock options by eligible employees.
-P S Pai retires from Whole-time Directorship of Wipro.
In 2003:
-The Company today (January 31, 2003) announced the appointment of T K Kurien as President of Wipro HealthScience, the new business segment formed in April 2002 to address the market opportunities in Healthcare and Life Science IT. T K Kurien will report into Vivek Paul, Vice Chairman. Suresh Vaswani, 42, President - Wipro Infotech, our India, Asia Pac and Middle East IT Business, will head the Telecom Internet Service Provider (TISP) Vertical in Wipro Technologies, reporting to Vivek Paul, in addition to his existing responsibilities. Suresh Vaswani will continue to report to Azim Premji, Chairman, for Wipro Infotech business.
-Ehosting DataFort of Dubai and Wipro Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding to offer disaster recovery solutions. eHosting DataFort, a subsidiary of the Dubai Technology, E-commerce and Media Free Zone (TECOM), is a leading regional provider of managed hosting, security and disaster recovery services, according to a statement from Wipro, made available to Reporters. Wipro and eHosting DataFort will together offer comprehensive disaster recovery solutions, covering disaster recovery planning, implementation and management to their customers.
-The Company increases stake to 100 in Wipro Spectramind Services
-The Company is fastest wealth creator for 5 years, reveals study
-The Company Spectramind bags 10-m BPO order from Microsoft
-The Company s e-procurement arm, 01 Markets has unveiled a web-tendering solution for the Indian market
-The Company launches its own laptops with Intel s Centrino mobile processor
-Chairman Azim Premji, with a networth of 5.9 billion, has made it to the Forbes list of ten most powerful billionaires in the world
-Enters into a definitive agreement to acquire NerveWire Inc,, a Newton, Massachusetts based Business and IT Consulting company serving financial services clients, for approximately 18.