Sudha Murthy - A Woman Who is a Living Testimony of Simple Living and High Thinking

Sudha Murthy , a writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist was born on 19 August 1950 in a Brahmin family in Shiggaon , Karnataka. Her father Dr R.H Kulkarni and her mother Vimala Kulkarni supported her in all her endeavors from childhood. Sudha who has two siblings, Srinivas Ramchandra Kulkarni and Jaishree Deshpande incidentally spent most of her growing years at her maternal grandmother's home. Her early life experiences and her affection for her grandmother, translated to inspiration for most of the literature (including books) that she penned in her later years.

Sudha Murthy is married to the co-founder of Infosys , N R Narayana Murthy . The couple have two children Akshata Murthy and Rohan Murthy. The lady completed her BE in electrical engineering from B.V.B College of Engineering in Hubli , where she earned a gold medal for her academic excellence. Later she pursued ME in computer science from the Indian Institute of Science , Bangalore. She was conferred a gold medal in the final examinations. Sudha Murthy wanted to go abroad to pursue a doctorate degree when she came across a recruitment advertisement for engineers from a renowned automobile company TELCO , stating that 'female candidates need not apply'. This was the turning point of her life. She was distressed to see this blatant gender discrimination and wrote a postcard stating her grievance to the head of the company. Within ten days, she received a response from TELCO inviting her for an interview scheduled at Pune. The letter that Sudha wrote challenging stereotypes panned out to the next big chapter of her life.

Murthy is a nuanced writer and has authored several books in both the genre of fiction and non-fiction. Her novels unveil her feminist side and her ardent views in terms of women's rights and liberty. Her close attention to women's issues are discovered through her literary creations. Her virtuous beliefs are reflected through her consistent involvement with social causes and the causes pertaining to public hygiene , poverty alleviation, healthcare and women's education and empowerment. She believes that earning too much money in too short a period is as bad as excessive liquor. "Only if you have the passion for it , you must become a philanthropist,she pronounces with conviction. She inspires everyone to lead a simple life and listen to their conscience. She believes that the beauty of a person lies in simplicity and confidence.

Sudha Murthy is known for her innumerable philanthropic works and has contributed immensely to literature in English and Kannada. She has donned multiple and meaningful roles in her life spanning seven decades now and is a living inspiration to all generations.

Sudha Murthy has consistently been influencing women to empower themselves and has also opened many schools and orphanages that have libraries and computers. She has contributed in various capacities towards academic scholarships and for the welfare of war widows. She has successfully launched various programmes to improve disaster relief, orphan care and strengthen women and youth empowerment. Last year, when India was fighting against the novel coronavirus, Sudha Murthy (who is now the chairperson of Infosys Foundation) had donated Rs 100 crores by way of a relief fund. This was utilized for the purchase of medicines , ventilators and oxygen cylinders for covid patients. The money was also used for the purchase of N-95 masks , PPE kits and sanitizers. The Foundation had donated another 100 crores the previous year for the frontline workers and government.

Sudha Murthy received India's fourth-highest civilian honour 'Padma Shri' in 2006 for her contribution towards the economy and social welfare. She earnt the 'Crossword Book Award' on popular (non-fiction) category and also won the 'Basava Shree-2013 Award' along with her husband Narayan Murthy for their contributions to society. She also received the 'Raja-Lakshmi Award' by Sri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation in Chennai in 2004 and the 'Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award' by the Karnataka Government.

The story of Sudha Murthy inspires every generation to chase dreams undaunted by challenges and obstacles. She is an epitome of dedication towards causes which positively impact the lives of people. Her social work and pieces of writings teach every individual that to serve the country one does not necessarily need to be in the Army .

- Compiled by Saswati Sarma

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