SOURCE : SAVVY August 2000
Narayanan Murthy saying 'bout his dear wife...
***********************************************
My wife is a happy person with the ability to see the positive in a
situation.
Her cheerful disposition helps her make friends easily. She is one of
the finest managers I have seen, meticulous about completing every task
on time with qualitv and within budget.
Sudha was the only female student in her Engineering class at Hubli,
a conservative town in North Karnataka. She was a first ranker in all
ten semesters in her Engineering degree, winning gold medals in every
examination. Besides being a fine engineer, she is a great writer too.
She has sacrificed so much for me and the children giving up her job
as manager in Bombay in 1981 to move to Pune. Without that sacrifice,
I am not sure if I would have been able to found Infosys along with my
six colleagues.
Her positive way of looking at things, being happy in every situation
and her ability to relate to the poor are the things that I admire most
in her. When you meet an interesting person like her it is very easy
to fall in love. That is what happened to me.
Sudha has always been there for Infosys in the time of success, failure or
a crisis. Currently, she is one of the trustees of the Infosys Foundation
putting in at least six hours a day of work and often several days of
outstation travel to poor areas of India.
Unlike Sudha who has been a great partner and supporter to me, I have been
unable to assist her in any way in her activities. Her achievements are
purely her own. Being the better of the two of us, she probably will
not even need any support. She is a wonderful partner, always willing
to encourage and support me. Her children think she is a great friend
and an understanding mother. She is a fun woman to be with.
When I returned from France in the mid-'70s, convinced that the only way
you can remove poverty is by creating more and more wealth legally and
ethically, I discussed with her how I wanted to conduct an experiment
in creating wealth. By nature she is the more sacrificing of the two.
Thus, my desire to conduct this experiment and her active encouragement
were why I let her sacrifice so much for me.
She is a great influence on me in being a better manager and a better
human being. She is modern yet retains the Indian values. She combines
the best of right and left lobes. She has shown how you can relate to
the rich and the poor. She is an invaluable partner to me.
--Narayan Murty
(CEO OF INFOSYS, BANGALORE)
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Mrs.Murthy saying 'bout Mr.Murthy...
========================================================
The first step which one makes in the world as a child, is the one on
which depends the rest of our days... My steps were piloted by my family
on values like truth, simplicity, love and respect for all. I was born in
1950 in a middle class family. My father Sri R H Kulkarni was a doctor
in a government hospital, my mother Vimala Kulkarni was a housewife.
I am the second child in a family of three daughters and one son.
I spent a great part of my early years with my maternal grandparents.
My grandfather, Sri H R Kadim Diwan, was a true Gandhian who opted out
of law school because his teacher said that sometimes, he might have
to manipulate the truth to win lawsuits. He was 63 years older than
me but we were best friends. He was a scholar who inculcated in me a
love for books, history, mathematics and India. Without realising it,
he also instilled a free and adventurous spirit within me.
I taught my 62-year- old grandmother to read and write... My grandmother,
though illiterate was an ardent fan of Triveni, a renowned writer in
Kannada. Every Wednesday grandma used to finish her household chores and
would be waiting for me to read her Triveni's serial called 'Kashi Yatre'.
One Wednesday I was unable to keep our afternoon reading-appointment.
Grandma felt helpless and frustrated. There was the magazine, she
touched the words but couldn't read them. I asked her, Awwa, do you want
to read and write? She replied, I am 62. Will I be able to read now?
I was 12 when I became my grandmother's teacher. A year later, grandma
began reading 'Kashi Yatre' on her own. IT IS VERY TRUE THAT THE INK OF
THE SCHOLAR IS MORE SACRED THAN THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYR.* It can change
people's lives.
A young man married a girl with leucoderma after reading my novel
"Mahaswete"... I love writing. For me, writing is like breathing.
I have been writing from a young age and I have written 10 books so far
novels, technical and educational books. A boy who had broken off his
engagement with his fiancee after learning she had leucoderma decided
to marry her after reading my novel "Mahaswete" which was about a girl
with leucoderma. To realise that my novel had made a difference in
somebody's life was the ultimate reward I could get as a writer.
My parents never bought us jewellery or expensive clothes but we had
an extensive library at home... My family was academically oriented
and education was a priority in the Kulkarni household. My father had
never bought a fridge (which he ultimately did much later in life) but
he would buy us books. I never had any silk saris or jewellery but what
I had were books and more books.
My older sister Sunanda is a distinguished doctor. My other sister
Jayshree Deshpande is an IIT graduate from Chennai and is married to
Gururaj Deshpande whose name appeared in the Forbes list. My brother
Srinivas Kulkarni is a world renowned astrophysicist.
There was no toilet for girls in my college because girls never went to
engineering colleges... I was the first girl to study engineering which
was considered a male domain in Hubli. Friends and neighbours tried to
discourage my parents saying nobody would marry an engineering graduate.
Since getting me married was not on top of the list at that time, but
education was, my parents relented.
I joined BE Electricals in 1968 at the BVB College of Engineering
in Hubli. In the beginning it was awkward. The college had no ladies
room or toilet for girls because there were no girls in college. I had
to wait, uncomfortably till I got home. After a year-and-a-half the
authorities built a ladies toilet in the college premises. There were
250 boys in the class and I used to be ragged mercilessly. I wanted
a degree in engineering and no amount of teasing was going to stop me
from reaching my goal. I never missed one day of class in five years
of my degree. Because I knew if I was absent even for a day there would
be no one to share that day's notes with me.
After a year-and-a-half the boys came around. They realised I was no
floozy and we went on to become great friends. I stood first in the
University. Now, my father was keen that I do M.Tech. So, I went to
Bangalore to study MTech at the Tata Institute of Engineering.
Telco, Pune didn't want women engineering students to apply for the job...
I had decided to study abroad for a PhD degree or study at MIT when fate
intervened. One day, during my last semester of MTech in Bangalore,
I came across a notice in college which read: Telco Pune wants young,
bright, hard working engineers. There will be a campus interview....
Lady students need not apply. The last line jolted me. Why this
discrimination? I bought a post card which I addressed to JRD Tata
and wrote:
Benevolent Tatas who have done so much philanthropic work... innovative
Tatas who started the first iron and steel industry, textile industries
.... I am surprised and ashamed at your attitude toward women students.
If you can do this, then anybody can do it. A week later I received
a letter asking me to attend an interview at Telco at their expense.
I decided to attend the interview if not for anything else then at least
for the free ride and to buy Pune saris for friends and relatives.
At Telco I realized that I was the only candidate called for the
interview. I also heard someone whispering, That's the girl who wrote
to the big boss. I thought I will not get the job. When you have no
expectations you have no fear. So, I boldly told the panel not to waste
time if they were not serious about the interview and saw it as a form
of vindication. The creditable panel interviewed me for 2 1/2 hours
asking purely technical questions which I answered. At the end one of
the panel members, Satyapalli Sarvamurthy, who later became my boss,
explained why they did not want ladies at Telco.
People here have to work in shifts, he said, And that might pose a
problem for a lady on the shop floor full of men. Secondly, you will
have to drive a jeep. Lastly, we spend considerable time and energy
training people. This is wasted when a girl trainee gets married as
she quits and goes to live with her husband.
I assured them that I was willing to work in shifts and that I will never
play my gender card. If my grandmother could learn to read and write at
62, I could learn to drive a jeep at 23. And yes, I will go to live with
my husband when I get married. I asked the panel how many of them were
married and how many of them have gone to live with their wives. None.
When they have followed a 1000- year-old male-favouring tradition why
should they expect anything different from me? Yes, I will leave to live
with my husband when I get married but unlike a boy who might leave them
if he gets an additional 100 rupees at a rival company, I will not quit
Telco even if I am offered huge sums of money. I assured them my loyalty.
The panel was flabbergasted and said they will let me know the results
of the interview in a week's time. This was a sure sign of getting
dumped. And I had no burning desire to work at Telco. When there
is no desire there is no fear. I boldly took the panel to task.
I demanded an immediate reply since they had technically spent 10 man
hours interviewing me. If they couldn't decide on the same day what
made them think they could arrive at a conclusion after seven days?
To my surprise I was offered a job at Telco, Pune with a salary of Rs
1500 per month which was to be later increased to Rs 5000 per month.
They were not willing to provide me with hostel facilities during my
two-year training period on the shop floor.
I became morally obligated to take up the job at Telco though I wanted
to study further at MIT... I wasn't too keen on the job because I
had already decided to go to MIT. But it was my father who made me
realise my responsibilities chiding me for writing to JRD on a postcard.
You should have done it with some etiquette, he said. He told me that
I couldn't and shouldn't back down now.
Your action might make it difficult for other girls to get a job at
Telco in the future. They might hold you as a yardstick and you will be
setting a bad example. You are morally responsible to take up that job,
he bellowed.
I joined Telco Pune in 1974. This incident taught me the importance
of having insight in life and never act on impulse. The men on the
Telco shop floor were hostile... In 1974, I became the first woman to
work on the shop floor of Telco, a male bastion till then. To say the
environment was hostile is an understatement. The men were rude and
refused to take orders from me a woman.
They even prevented me from doing my work since it was always done
by their manager, a man. The attitude hurt me but did not affect me.
My goal was nothing but to excel at my work. So I was duty bound to
overcome all obstacles. I wasn't going to let a few trouser clad homo
sapiens dissuade me. I believe in saving energy for the big fights and
refrained from asserting myself. Initially, I would do my work with
no interaction with the men. Then I learnt their language as half the
battle is won when you can speak the adversary's language.
They began letting me step into their space. My stint at the shop
floor has been a boon because today I have a greater cross reference of
mechanical industry than Murty. I worked in Jamshedpur and in Bihar too.
WHEN NARAYAN MURTY PROPOSED TO ME HE SAID, SUDHA I WILL NEVER BE RICH IN
MY LIFE. I CAN NEVER GIVE YOU THE RICHES THAT MONEY CAN BUY. WILL YOU
MARRY ME? .. It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my friend
Prasanna who is now the Wipro chief, who was also training in Telco.
Most of the books that Prasanna lent me had Murty's name on them which
meant that I had a preconceived image of the man.
Contrary to expectation, Murty was shy, bespectacled and an introvert.
When he invited us for dinner. I was a bit taken aback as I thought
the young man was making a very fast move. I refused since I was the
only girl in the group. But Murty was relentless and we all decided
to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 p.m at Green Fields hotel on
the Main Road, Pune. The next day I went there at 7 o clock since I
had to go to the tailor near the hotel. And what do I see? Mr Murty
waiting in front of the hotel and it was only seven. Till today, Murty
maintains that I had mentioned (consciously!) that I would be going to
the tailor at 7 so that I could meet him. And I maintain that I did
not say any such thing consciously or unconsciously because I did not
think of Murty as anything other than a friend at that stage. We have
agreed to disagree on this matter.
Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled with Murty's
experiences abroad and the books that he has read. My friends insisted
that Murty was trying to impress me because he was interested in me.
I kept denying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said, I want
to tell you something. I knew this was it. It was coming. He said,
I am 5'4" tall. I come from a lower middle class family. I can never
become rich in my life and I can never give you any riches. You are
beautiful, bright, intelligent and you can get anyone you want. But will
you marry me? I asked Murty to give me some time for an answer.
My father didn't want me to marry a wannabe politician, (a communist at
that) who didn't have a steady job and wanted to buildan orphanage...
When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and his proposal.
My mother was positive since Murty was also from Karnataka, seemed
intelligent and comes from a good family. But my father asked: What's
his job, his salary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working as a
research assistant and was earning less than me. He was willing to go
dutch with me on our outings.
My parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a particular day at 10 a.
m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I trust a man to take care
of my daughter if he cannot keep an appointment, asked my father.
At 12 noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He had gone on work
to Bombay, was stuck in a traffic jam on the ghats, so he hired a taxi
(though it was very expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law.
My father was unimpressed. My father asked him what he wanted to become
in life. Murty said he wanted to become a politician in the communist
party and wanted to open an orphanage.
My father gave his verdict. No. I don't want my daughter to marry
somebody who wants to become a communist and then open an orphanage
when he himself didn't have money to support his family. Ironically,
today, I have opened many orphanages something which Murty wanted to do
25 years ago.
By this time I realized I had developed a liking towards Murty which
could only be termed as love. I wanted to marry Murty because he is an
honest man. He proposed to me highlighting the negatives in his life.
I promised my father that I will not marry Murty without his blessings
though at the same time, I cannot marry anybody else. My father said he
would agree if Murty promised to take up a steady job. But Murty refused
saying he will not do things in life because somebody wanted him to.
So, I was caught between the two most important people in my life.
The stalemate continued for three years during which our courtship took
us to every restaurant and cinema hall in Pune.
In those days, Murty was always broke. Moreover, he didn't earn much
to manage. Ironically today, he manages Infosys Technologies Ltd one of
the world's most reputed companies. He always owed me money. We used
to go for dinner and he would say, I don't have money with me, you pay my
share, I will return it to you later. For three years I maintained a book
on Murty's debt to me. No, he never returned the money and I finally
tore it up after my wedding. The amount was a little over Rs 4000.
During this interim period Murty quit his job as research assistant and
started his own software business. Now, I had to pay his salary too!
Towards the late 70s computers were entering India in a big way.
During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a job as General
Manager at Patni Computers in Bombay. But before he joined the company he
wanted to marry me since he was to go on training to the US after joining.
My father gave in as he was happy Murty had a decent job, now.
WE WERE MARRIED IN MURTY'S HOUSE IN BANGALORE ON FEBRUARY 10, 1978 WITH
ONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT. I GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDING
EXPENSES CAME TO ONLY RS 800 (US $ 17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS
400 EACH.
I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty encouraged me to
see America on my own because I loved travelling. I toured America
for three months on backpack and had interesting experiences which will
remain fresh in my mind forever. Like the time when I was taken into
custody by the New York police because they thought I was an Italian
trafficking drugs in Harlem. Or the time when I spent the night at
the bottom of the Grand Canyon with an old couple. Murty panicked
because he couldn't get a response from my hotel room even at midnight.
He thought I was either killed or kidnapped.
IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZERO
CAPITAL... initially I was very apprehensive about Murty getting
into business. We did not have any business background. Moreover we
were living a comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check and I
didn't want to rock the boat. But Murty was passionate about creating
good quality software. I decided to support him. Typical of Murty, he
just had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which 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 house. You go and chase your dreams without
any worry. But you have only three years!.
Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981, with enormous
interest and hard work. In 1982 I left Telco and moved to Pune with
Murty. We bought a small house on loan which also became the Infosys
office. I was a clerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer. I also took up a job
as Senior Systems Analyst with Walchand group of Industries to support
the house. In 1983 Infosys got their first client, MICO, in Bangalore.
Murty moved to Bangalore and stayed with his mother while I went to
Hubli to deliver my second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son was born,
Murty left for the US on project work. I saw him only after a year as I
was unable to join Murty in the US because my son had infantile eczema,
an allergy to vaccinations. So for more than a year I did not step
outside our home for fear of my son contracting an infection. It was
only after Rohan got all his vaccinations that I came to Bangalore where
we rented a small house in Jayanagar and rented another house as Infosys
headquarters. My father presented Murty a scooter to commute. I once
again became a cook, programmer, clerk, secretary, office assistant et al.
Nandan Nilekani (MD of Infosys) and his wife Rohini stayed with us.
While Rohini baby sat my son, I wrote programmes for Infosys.
There was no car, no phone, just two kids and a bunch of us working hard,
juggling our lives and having fun while Infosys was taking shape. It was
not only me but the wives of other partners too who gave their unstinted
support. We all knew that our men were trying to build something good.
It was like a big joint family, taking care and looking out for one
another. I still remember Sudha Gopalakrishna looking after my daughter
Akshata with all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked for all of us.
Murty made it very clear that it would either be me or him working
at Infosys. Never the two of us together... I was involved with
Infosys initially. Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board
but Murty said he did not want a husband and wife team at Infosys. I was
shocked since I had the relevant experience and technical qualifications.
He said, Sudha if you want to work with Infosys, I will withdraw, happily.
I was pained to know that I will not be involved in the company my husband
was building and that I would have to give up a job that I am qualified
to do and love doing. It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason
behind Murty's request. I realised that to make Infosys a success one
had to give one's 100 percent. One had to be focussed on it alone with
no other distractions. If the two of us had to give 100 percent to
Infosys then what would happen to our home and our children? One of
us had to take care of our home while the other took care of Infosys.
I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was Murty's dream. It was
a big sacrifice but it was one that had to be made. Even today, Murty
says, Sudha, I stepped on your career to make mine. You are responsible
for my success.
I might have given up my career for my husband's sake. But that does not
make me a doormat... Many think that I have been made the sacrificial
lamb at Narayan Murty's altar of success. A few women journalists have
even accused me of setting a wrong example by giving up my dreams to
make my husbands a reality. Isnt freedom about living your life the way
you want it? What is right for one person might be wrong for another.
It is up to the individual to make a choice that is effective in her life.
I feel that when a woman gives up her right to choose for herself is when
she crosses over from being an individual to a doormat. Murty's dreams
encompassed not only himself but a generation of people. It was about
founding something worthy, exemplary and honorable. It was about creation
and distribution of wealth. His dreams were grander than my career plans,
in all aspects. So, when I had to choose between Murty's career and mine,
I opted for what I thought was a right choice.
We had a home and two little children. Measles, mumps, fractures,
PTA meetings, wants and needs of growing children do not care much for
grandiose dreams. They just needed to be attended to. Somebody had to
take care of it all. Somebody had to stay back to create a home base that
would be fertile for healthy growth, happiness, and more dreams to dream.
I became that somebody willingly.
I can confidently say that if I had had a dream like Infosys, Murty would
have given me his unstinted support. The roles would have been reversed.
We are not bound by the archaic rules of marriage. I cook for him but
I don't wait up to serve dinner like a traditional wife. So, he has no
hassles about heating up the food and having his dinner. He does not
intrude into my time especially when I am writing my novels. He does
not interfere in my work at the Infosys Foundation and I don't interfere
with the running of Infosys. I teach Computer Science to MBA and MCA
students at Christ college for a few hours every week and I earn around Rs
50,000 a year. I value this financial independence greatly though there
is no need for me to pursue a teaching career. Murty respects that.
I travel all over the world without Murty because he hates travelling.
We trust each other implicitly. We have another understanding too.
While he earns the money, I spend it, mostly through the charity.
Philanthropy is a profession and an art... The Infosys Foundation was
born in 1997 with the sole objective of uplifting the less-privileged
sections of society. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS WE HAVE BUILT HOSPITALS,
ORPHANAGES, REHABILITATION CENTRES, SCHOOL BUILDINGS, SCIENCE CENTRES AND
MORE THAN 3500 LIBRARIES. Our work is mainly in the rural areas amongst
women and children. I am one of the trustees and our activities span
six states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Orissa, Chandigarh
and Maharashtra. I travel to around 800 villages constantly. Infosys
Foundation has a minimal staff of three trustees and three office members.
We all work very hard to achieve our goals and that is the reason why
Infosys Foundation has a distinct identity.
Every year we donate around Rs 5-6 crore (Rs 50 - 60 million). We run
Infosys Foundation the way Murty runs Infosys in a professional and
scientific way. Philanthropy is a profession and an art. It can be
used or misused. We slowly want to increase the donations and we dream
of a time when Infosys Foundation could donate large amounts of money.
Every year we receive more than 10,000 applications for donations.
Everyday I receive more than 120 calls. Amongst these, there are those
who genuinely need help and there are hood winkers too.
I receive letters asking me to donate Rs five lakh to someone because five
lakh is, like peanuts to Infosys. Some people write to us asking for free
Infosys shares. Over the years I have learnt to differentiate the wheat
from the chaff, though I still give a patient hearing to all the cases.
Sometimes I feel I have lost the ability to trust people. I have become
shrewder to avoid being conned. It saddens me to realise that even as
a person is talking to me I try to analyse them: Has he come here for
any donation? Why is he praising my work or enquiring about my health,
does he want some money from me? Eight out of ten times I am right.
They do want my money. But I feel bad for the other two whom I suspected.
I think that is the price that I have to pay for the position that I am
in now.
The greatest difficulty in having money is teaching your children the
value of it and trying to keep them on a straight line... Bringing up
children in a moneyed atmosphere is a difficult task. EVEN TODAY I THINK
TWICE IF I HAVE TO SPEND RS 10 ON AN AUTO WHEN I CAN WALK UP TO MY HOUSE.
I cannot expect my children to do the same. They have seen money from
the time they were born. But we can lead by example. When they see
Murty wash his own plate after eating and clean the two toilets in the
house everyday they realise that no work is demeaning irrespective of
how rich you are.
I DON'T HAVE A MAID AT HOME BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR ONE.When
children see both parents working hard, living a simple life, most of
the time they tend to follow. This doesn't mean we expect our children
to live an austere life. My children buy what they want and go where
they want but they have to follow certain rules. They will have to show
me a bill for whatever they buy. My daughter can buy five new outfits
but she has to give away five old ones. My son can go out with his
friends for lunch or dinner but if he wants to go to a five star hotel,
we discourage it. Or we accompany him.
So far my children haven't given me any heartbreak. They are good
children. My eldest daughter is studying abroad, whereas my son is
studying in Bangalore. They don't use their father's name in vain.
If asked, they only say that his name is Murty and that he works for
Infosys. They don't want to be recognised and appreciated because of
their father or me but for themselves. I DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT HAVING
MONEY FOR WE HAVE WORKED HARD FOR IT. BUT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE
FLAUNTING IT ...IT IS A CONSCIOUS DECISION ON OUR PART TO LIVE A SIMPLE,
SO- CALLED MIDDLE CLASS LIFE. WE LIVE IN THE SAME TWO- BEDROOM, SPARSELY
FURNISHED HOUSE BEFORE INFOSYS BECAME A SUCCESS.
Our only extravagance is buying books and CDs. MY HOUSE HAS NO LOCKERS
FOR I HAVE NO JEWELS. I WEAR A STONE EARRING WHICH I BOUGHT IN BOMBAY
FOR RS 100 . I don't even wear my mangalsutra until I attend some family
functions or I am with my mother-in-law. I am not fond of jewellery
or saris. Five years ago, I went to Kashi where tradition demands that
you give up something and I gave up shopping. Since then I haven't
bought myself a sari or gone shopping. It is my friends who gift me
with saris. Murty bought me a sari a long time ago. It was not to my
taste and I told him to refrain from buying saris for me in the future.
I am no good at selecting men's clothes either. It is my daughter who
does the shopping for us. I still have the same sofa at home which my
daughter wants to change. However, we have indulged ourselves with each
one having their own music system and computer.
I don't carry a purse and neither does Murty most of the time. I do
tell him to keep some small change with him but he doesn't. I borrow
money from my secretary or my driver if I need cash. They know my habit
so they always carry extra cash with them. But I settle the accounts
every evening. MURTY AND I ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH OUR LIFESTYLE AND
WE DON'T SEE THE NEED TO CHANGE IT NOW THAT WE HAVE MONEY.
Murty and I are two opposites that complement each other... Murty is
sensitive and romantic in his own way. He always gifts me books addressed
to From Me to You. Or to the person I most admire etc. We both love
books. We are both complete opposites. I am an extrovert and he is
an introvert. I love watching movies and listening to classical music.
Murty loves listening to English classical music. I go out for movies
with my students and secretary every other week. I am still young at
heart. I really enjoyed watching "Kaho Na Pyaar Hai" and I am a Hrithik
Roshan fan. It has been more than 20 years since Murty and I went for
a movie. My daughter once gave us a surprise by booking tickets for
"Titanic". Since I had a prior engagement that day, Murty went for the
movie with his secretary Pandu. I love travelling whereas Murty loves
spending time at home.
Friends come and go with the share prices... Even in my dreams, I did
not expect Infosys to grow like the way it has. I don't think even Murty
envisioned this phenomenal success, at least not in 1981. After Infosys
went public in 1993, we became what people would call as rich, moneyed
people. I was shocked to see what was happening to Infosys and to us.
Suddenly you see and hear about so much money. Your name and photo is
splashed in the papers. People talk about you. It was all new to me.
SUDDENLY I HAVE PEOPLE WALKING UP TO ME SAYING, OH, WE WERE SUCH GOOD
FRIENDS, WE HAD A MEAL 25 YEARS AGO. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT
OUR WEDDING (WHICH IS AN UTTER LIE BECAUSE ONLY MY FAMILY WAS PRESENT
AT MY WEDDING). I DON'T EVEN KNOW ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO KNOW
MURTY AND ME SO WELL.
But that doesn't mean I don't have true friends. I do have genuine
friends, a handful, who have been with me for a very long time.
My equation with these people has not changed and vice versa. I am
also very close to Narayan Murty's family, especially my sister-in-law
Kamala Murty, a school teacher, who is more of a dear friend to me.
I have discovered that these are the few relationships and friendships
that don't fluctuate depending on the price of Infosys shares.
Have I lost my identity as a woman, in Murty's shadow?... No. I might
be Mrs Narayan Murty. I might be Akshata and Rohan's mother. I might
be the trustee of Infosys Foundation. But I am still Sudha. I play
different roles like all women. That doesn't mean we don't have our
own identity. Women have that extra quality of adaptability and learn
to fit into different shoes. But we are our own selves still. And we
have to exact our freedom by making the right choices in our lives,
dictated by us and not by the world.