Inderpreet Wadhwa
Inderpreet Singh Wadhwa | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972 Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 2008–2019 |
| Known for | Founder and former CEO of Azure Power Global Limited |
Inderpreet Singh Wadhwa (born 1972) is an Indian-American entrepreneur specializing in renewable energy and the former Chairman and CEO of Azure Power Global Limited.[1] He established Azure Power in 2008 and led its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on October 12, 2016, marking the debut of Indian energy assets on the New York Stock Exchange.[2] Wadhwa stepped down from his roles as CEO and Chairman in July 2019, subsequently serving as an external advisor until December 31, 2019.[3]
Personal life and education
Originating from Amritsar, Punjab, Wadhwa earned a Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering from G.N.D.U, Punjab and completed his business studies at the Haas School of Business within the UC Berkeley.[1]
Career
Wadhwa launched Azure Power in 2008 with the vision to offer sustainable and socially responsible alternatives to traditional energy sources.[4] At 35, he left his Silicon Valley career to develop India’s then-largest commercial solar project—a 1 MW installation located in a village near the Punjab border.[5] On December 1, 2009, Azure Power commissioned the initial phase (1 MW) of its 2 MW solar photovoltaic plant in Awan, Amritsar, delivering electricity to the Punjab State Electricity Board and becoming the first entrepreneur to commercially sell solar energy in India.[6]
Prior to founding Azure Power, Wadhwa held executive positions including Vice President at Loyalty Lab and Senior Director at Oracle Corporation. Additionally, he participated as a member of the Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) for the Green Climate Fund (GCF).[7]
Azure Power
Under Wadhwa’s guidance, Azure Power grew into one of India’s leading solar power developers and operators, managing a portfolio exceeding 3 GW with more than 1.5 GW of operational capacity. The company achieved several milestones such as being the first Indian solar enterprise listed on the NYSE and pioneering green bond issuance for Indian solar projects.
In 2016, Azure Power earned the National Award for “Project Developer” from MNRE. By 2018, its project capacity had crossed the 3 GW threshold. By March 2019, Azure Roof Power had surpassed 100 MW of operational rooftop solar installations, ranking it among India’s largest rooftop solar providers.
Wadhwa retired from his roles as CEO, Chairman, and Board member of Azure Power and its subsidiaries in July 2019 but remained engaged as an advisor until the end of that year.
Media Appearances
Inderpreet has been a strong proponent of generation-based incentives within the solar energy field, promoting these through Clean Trade efforts in both the United States and India. His expertise has been highlighted in prominent outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, and Economic Times. He regularly presents at top-tier solar industry events like Solar Power International and Inter Solar.
Significant media engagements include:
- Interview conducted by OPIC
- Dialogue with IFC focusing on entrepreneurship in India’s solar market
- Interview at the IFC Climate Business Forum 2017
- Conversation with David Letterman featured in National Geographic's Years of Living Dangerously
- Discussion with Barclays regarding financing opportunities
- Appearance on Bloomberg TV
- Presentation at TEDxLeh addressing sustainable infrastructure and inclusive development
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbloombergwadhwa - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedmint - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedecoworld - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedforbesindia - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedrediff - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedproparco