The Rajiv Gandhi International Prize for Technology in Education and Development was instituted by the University in its Silver Jubilee Year. The prize will be given to an individual or an institution that has made significant contributions in education particularly educational technology, for development in developing countries across the world.  The prize comprises a cash component of Rs.5 lakh and a citation.

Get details on ignou distance education

In 2001, Mr. Premji founded the Azim Premji Foundation, a not-for profit organisation, with a vision to achieve quality universal education that facilitates a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society.  The Foundation works in the area of elementary education to pilot and develop 'proofs of concept' that have a potential for systemic change in India's 1.3 million government-run schools. A specific focus is on working in rural areas where the majority of these schools exist. This choice to work with elementary education in rural government-run is a response to evidence of educational attainment in India.

In 2005, he became the first Indian recipient of the Faraday Medal. Wesleyan University, USA, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Aligarh University and Visveswaraya Technological University have all conferred honorary doctorates to him, while XLRI, Jamshedpur has conferred the Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial and Social Peace. In 2000, the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers conferred its highest honour - the Honorary Fellowship. The US-India Business Council has honored him with the Global Vision award. He was also hunoured with Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India.