Sudha Murty, a postgraduate from IISc, Padma awardee, philanthropist, author, and now a Presidential nominee for Rajya Sabha, has set a high standard for women in public life. Her steadfast support for her husband, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, since the inception of the company is well-documented, as is her frugal lifestyle and emphasis on financial values instilled in her children Rohan and Akshata.
At 73 years old, her nomination on International Women’s Day is a fitting recognition for her contributions. She was honored with the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2023. Serving as the chairperson of the Murty Trust, she has authored several books including “Wise and Otherwise” and “The Mother I Never Knew: Two Novellas”.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her Rajya Sabha nomination, Sudha Murty, born Sudha Kulkarni on August 19, 1950, in Karnataka’s Shiggaon, holds a BE in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from BVB College of Engineering and Technology and an M. Tech from the Tata Institute in Bangalore. Despite facing challenges during her college days due to societal norms, she became the first and only female employee at Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company.
During an episode of ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, she recounted writing a letter to JRD Tata challenging a discriminatory job posting against women, which led to a policy reversal by Tata shortly after. Sudha Murty met Narayana Murthy in the 1970s through a mutual friend and their romance blossomed over movie dates and dinners. She played a pivotal role by lending Narayana Murthy Rs 10,000 in 1981 to kickstart Infosys, making her an early investor in the now globally recognized IT company.
Having led the Infosys Foundation for over 25 years before retiring in December 2021, Sudha Murty continues her philanthropic work through her family’s foundation. She serves on the PM CARES Fund Trust Board of Directors and is the founder of the Murty Classical Library of India at Harvard University.
The Murty family is elated by her nomination and believes it to be a well-deserved honor for her contributions.
