Sudha Murthy is the chairperson of Infosys Foundation, a non-profit organization. She is a famous Indian writer.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Sudha was born on Saturday, 19 August 1950 (age 72 years; as in 2022) in Shiggaon, Karnataka. His zodiac sign is Leo. He did BE in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from BVB College of Engineering and Technology, Karnataka and stood first in his class and for this he received a gold medal from Devaraj Urs, the then Chief Minister of Karnataka. Later, she joined the Indian Institute of Science, Karnataka to complete her ME in Computer Science. She then stood first in her class and received the gold medal.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 2″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye colour: black
Family, Caste and Husband
He was born in a Brahmin Hindu family. His father Dr. RH Kulkarni worked as a surgeon. His mother’s name is Vimala Kulkarni. Sudha has one brother and two sisters. His brother Srinivas Kulkarni is a renowned astronomer who received the Dan David Prize in 2017. His eldest sister, Sunanda Kulkarni, is a gynecologist in a government hospital in Bangalore. His elder sister, Jayshree Deshpande is the founder of the ‘Deshpande Foundation’ and wife of Chelmsford co-founder Gururaj Deshpande.
Sudha Murthy with her parents and siblings
She started her first job in Telco, where she met NR Narayana Murthy through one of his friends, Prasanna. In an interview he shared his initial meeting with Narayan and said,
Most of the books that Prasanna gave me had Murthy’s name on them, which meant I had a preconceived image of the person in my mind. Contrary to expectations, Murthy was shy, bespectacled and introverted. When he invited us for dinner, I was a little taken aback because I thought the young man was moving too quickly. I refused because I was the only girl in the group. But Murthy was indefatigable and we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 pm at the Green Fields Hotel on the Main Road, Pune.
Sudha used to hang out with Murthy at parties, movies and restaurants. Soon, both of them started liking each other and one day, Narayan proposed her for marriage. Initially, Sudha’s father was against their marriage as Murthy was not earning much. Later, Murthy left his job and started working as a general manager at Patni Computers in Bombay. Sudha’s father was happy with Murthy’s new job and agreed to their marriage.
Sudha and Murthy’s marriage took place on 10 February 1978 at Murthy’s house. The expenditure on the marriage was only Rs 100. 800, which was shared by Sudha and Murthy. In 1980, the couple had a daughter, Akshata Murthy, born, and in 1983, they had a son, Rohan Murthy, born.
Wedding photo of Sudha Murthy and NR Narayana Murthy
Sudha Murthy with her family
On 25 October 2022, his son-in-law Rishi Sunak was appointed the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by King Charles III.
livelihood
Sudha started her career as a development engineer at TELCO in Pune. In February 1974, she received a vacancy advertisement from TELCO, but its footnote read: “Women candidates need not apply.” She was hurt by such gender discrimination in a big company like TELCO, hence, she decided to write a postcard to JRD Tata (then Chairman of TELCO). When he was asked in an interview how he got his first job, he said,
I forgot about it after I posted the postcard. A pleasant surprise awaited. Soon a telegram arrived asking to appear for an interview with the promise that first class fare both ways would be reimbursed.”
In 1981, Sudha’s husband, NR Narayana Murthy, decided to relocate to Pune to start his own company, Infosys. Sudha had to leave her job in Telco, Mumbai. In an interview, she shared an incident when she was about to leave her job in TELCO, she said,
It was again a chance meeting as I was going down and JRD Tata was going up in Bombay House. “I told him I was quitting.” She said, “You struggled so much for the job and now you are leaving it?” I told her that my husband wanted to start an Infosys adventure. And then JRD became almost a prophet and started saying, “If you earn a lot of money then you should give it back to the society because you have got a lot of love from it.” That was the last time I saw him.”
She left her job and moved to Pune with her husband and joined ‘Walchand Group of Industries’ as a Senior System Analyst. Later, in 1996, Sudha co-founded ‘Infosys Foundation’, a non-profit organization that aims to help the underprivileged section of the society. The NPO is working with the mission of providing assistance in education, rural development, health care, art and culture and destitute care. Infosys Foundation has a branch in the United States, which aims to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics and community startups.
Sudha’s ‘Infosys Foundation’ has built over 2300 houses and 70,000 libraries for schools in flood affected areas in India. He has helped build more than 10,000 toilets in rural areas of Bengaluru. They have helped people affected by natural disasters like tsunami in Tamil Nadu and Andaman, earthquake in Kutch, storm and floods in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and drought in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Apart from being a philanthropist, she has been working as a visiting professor at the PG Center of Bangalore University and has also taught at Christ University, Bengaluru. She is one of the famous writers of India. She has written several well-known books in English and Kannada languages, including Samanyaralli Asmanayaru, Gutondu Heluve, Hakkiya Teradalli, Sukeshini Mattu Itara Makkala Kathegalu, How I Taught My Grandmother to Read, The Accolades Galore, Dollar Bahu and Three Thousand Stitches.
Sudha Murthy at her book launch
Controversy
The registration license of his NGO Infosys Foundation was canceled by the Ministry of Home Affairs of India in 2019. His NGO had failed to provide income and expenditure details on foreign funding for the past few years and its registration was canceled due to violation of norms.
Awards and Honors
Karnataka Rajyotsav, State Awards
2000: For achievement in the field of literature and social work
Ojaswini Award
2001: For outstanding social work in the year 2000
Raj-Lakshmi Award
2004: For social work by Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation in Chennai
Sudha Murthy receives Raj Lakshmi Award
RK Narayan Award
2006: For literature
Padma Award
2006: For social work
Sudha Murthy receiving Padma Shri
2023: Padma Bhushan
Attimabe Award from Government of Karnataka
2011: For excellence in Kannada literature
Crossword-Raymond Book Awards
2018: Life Time Achievement
IIT Kanpur Award
2019: Honorary degree, Doctor of Science
Note: He has many other honors to his name.
Address
Neralu, #1/2 (1878), 11th Main, 39th Cross, 4th T Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore 560011, Karnataka
net worth
In 2004, he had an estimated net worth of Rs 7.75 billion (approximately).
Favorite
- Films: Naya Daur (1957), Gunga Jamna (1961), Devdas (1955), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Kohinoor (1960), Junglee (1961), Anand (1971), Kati Patang (1971), Amar Prem (1972), and Abhimaan (1973)
- Songs: Dil Tadap Tadap and Suhana Safar from Madhumati (1958), Mere Mehboob Tujhe from Mere Mehboob (1963)
- Businessmen: Ratan Tata and JRD Tata
Facts/General Knowledge
- Sudha was the only female student in a class of 600 students. The college principal had given him admission on three conditions. She asked Sudha to always wear saree, not to go to the canteen and not to talk to men in the college.
- In the late 60s, she had a bob haircut and wore jeans and T-shirts which was a scandal at that time.
An old picture of Sudha Murthy
- His hobbies include reading books, traveling and watching movies. In 2014, in an interview with Filmfare, he said,
I have 500 DVDs that I watch in my home theater. I look at a film as a whole – its direction, editing… all aspects. People know me as a social worker, a writer… but no one knows me as a film lover. So I am happy to do this interview with Filmfare. “I could have actually become a film journalist,” believes the cinestar, who has gone to the extent of watching 365 films in 365 days. I never get bored of movies!”
- Sudha gave the money. Gave Rs 10,000 to her husband to start his own company Infosys, in an interview she shared this incident,
Like Murthy, he just had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 that I had saved for a rainy day without his knowledge and told him, this is all I have. Take it. I give you three years’ sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial needs of our household. You go and chase your dreams without any worries. But you only have three years!”
- She never joined Infosys even though she was well qualified and experienced. In an interview he revealed the reason behind this.
Murthy said he did not want a husband-wife team at Infosys. I was surprised because I had relevant experience and technical qualifications. He said, Sudha, if you want to work with Infosys, I will gladly take you back. I was saddened to learn that I would no longer be involved in the company my husband was building and that I would have to leave a job I was qualified to do and love doing. It took me a few days to understand the reason behind Murthy’s request. I realized that to make Infosys successful, I have to give my 100 percent. Just have to focus on this without any other distraction.”
- Interestingly, there are two photographs hanging on one wall of his NGO, one of his first employer JRD Tata and the other of Jamsetji (a plaque given to him by the Dalai Lama).
- In her book ‘Three Thousand Stitches’ she shares an incident when a woman at Heathrow airport called her ‘cattle class’ for wearing salwar kameez.
- She appeared in ETV Kannada’s TV serial ‘Preethi Ilada Mele’ (2006), and later, in 2017, she made a cameo in the Kannada film ‘Uppu, Huli, Khara’.
- In 2019, he resigned as Tirupati Temple Board member.
- On 29 November 2019, she appeared in the Karamveer episode of KBC 11. As a sign of respect, Amitabh Bachchan touched his feet and welcomed him to the show. Sudha gifts him a bedsheet made by the Devadasis.
Sudha Murthy in KBC
See more: Anjali Tendulkar Wiki
Anjali Arora Wiki
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn