An Angry letter from a young lady made JRD Tata change his rule

Sudha Murthy.......................................................................................................................2
Narayanan Murthy saying 'bout his dear wife...................................................................11
Mrs.Murthy saying 'bout Mr.Murthy.................................................................................13
An Angry letter from a young lady made JRD
Tata change his rule
Sudha Murthy

An Angry letter from a young lady made JRD Tata change his
rule
Sudha Murthy was livid when a job advertisement posted by
a Tata company at
the institution where she was completing her post
graduation
stated that "Lady candidates need not apply". She dashed
off a post card
to JRD Tata, protesting against the discrimination. Following
this, Mrs
Murthy was called for an interview and she became the first
female engineer
to work on the shop floor at Telco (now Tata Motors). It was
the beginning
of an association that would change her life in more ways
than one.

" THERE are two photographs that hang on my office wall.

Everyday when I
enter my office I look at them before starting my day. They
are pictures of
two old people. One is of a gentleman in a blue suit and the
other is a
black and white image of a man with dreamy eyes and a
white beard. People
have often asked me if the people in the photographs are
related to me.
Some have even asked me, "Is this black and white photo
that of a Sufi
saint or a religious Guru?" I smile and reply "No, nor are they
related to
me. These people made an impact on my life. I am grateful
to them."

"Who are they?" "The man in the blue suit is Bharat Ratna
JRD Tata and the
black and white photo is of Jamsetji Tata." "But why do you
have them in
your office?"" You can call it gratitude."

Then, invariably, I have to tell the person the following story.

It was a
long time ago. I was young and bright, bold and idealistic. I
was in the
final year of my Master's course in Computer Science at the
Indian
Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, then known as the
Tata Institute.

Life was full of fun and joy. I did not know what helplessness
or injustice
meant.

It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting

warm and gulmohars
were blooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my
Postgraduate
department and was staying at the ladies' hostel. Other girls
were pursuing
research in different departments of Science. I was looking
forward to
going abroad to complete a doctorate in computer science. I
had been
offered scholarships from Universities in the US. I had not
thought of
taking up a job in India.

One day, while on the way to my hostel from our lecture-hall

complex, I saw
an advertisement on the notice board. It was a standard job-
requirement
notice from the famous automobile company Telco (now Tata
Motors). It
stated that the company required young, bright engineers,
hardworkingand
with an excellent academic background, etc.
At the bottom was a small line: "Lady candidates need not
apply." I read it
and was very upset. For the first time in my life I was up
against gender
discrimination.

Though I was not keen on taking up the job, I saw it as a

challenge. I had
done extremely well in academics, better than most of my
male peers.

Little did I know then that in real life academic excellence is

not enough
to be successful.
After reading the notice I went fuming to my room. I decided
to inform the
topmost person in Telco's management about the injustice
the company was
perpetrating. I got a postcard and started to write, but
there was a problem: I did not know who headed Telco. I
thought it must be
one of the
Tatas. I knew JRD Tata was the head of the Tata Group; I had
seen his
pictures in newspapers (actually, Sumant Moolgaokar was
the company's
chairman then).
I took the card, addressed it to JRD and started writing. To
this day I
remember clearly what I wrote. "The great Tatas have always
been pioneers.

They are the people who started the basic infrastructure

industries in
India, such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles and

locomotives.They have cared for higher education in India,

such as iron
and steel, chemicals, textiles and locomotives. They have
cared for
highereducation in India since 1900 and they were
responsible for the
establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately,
I study
there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is
discriminating on
the basis of gender."

I posted the letter and forgot about it. Less than 10 days
later, I
received a telegram stating that I had to appear for an
interview at
Telco's Pune facility at the company's expense. I was taken
aback by the
telegram. My hostel mated told me I should use the
opportunity to go to
Pune free of cost and buy them the famous Pune saris
forcheap! I collected
Rs 30 each from everyone who wanted a sari. When I look
back, I feel like
laughing at the reasons for my going, but back then they
seemedgood enough
to make the trip.
It was my first visit to Pune and I immediately fell in love
with the city.
To this day it remains dear to me. I feel as much at home in
Pune as I do
in Hubli, my hometown. The place changed my life in so
many ways. As
directed, I went to Telco's Pimpri office for the interview.

There were six people on the panel and I realized then that
this was
serious business."This is the girl who wrote to JRD," I heard
somebody
whisper as soon as I entered the room. By then I knew for
sure that I would
not get the job.The realisation abolished all fear from my
mind, so I was
rather cool while the interview was being conducted.

Even before the interview started, I reckoned the panel was

biased, so I
told them, rather impolitely, "I hope this is only a technical
interview."

They were taken aback by my rudeness, and even today I

am ashamed about my
attitude. The panel asked me technical questions and I
answered all of
them. Then an elderly gentleman with an affectionate voice
told me, "Do
you know

Why we said lady candidates need not apply? The reason is

that we have
never employed any ladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-
ed college;
this is a factory. When it comes to academics, you are a first
ranker
throughout.

We appreciate that, but people like you should work in

research
laboratories."

I was a young girl from small-town Hubli. My world had been

a limited
place. I did not know the ways of large corporate houses and
their
difficulties, so I answered, "But you must start somewhere,
otherwise no
woman will ever be able to work in your factories."

Finally, after a long interview, I was told I had been

successful. So this
was what the future had in store for me. Never had I thought
I would take
up a job in Pune. I met a shy young man from Karnataka
there, we became
good friends and we got married.

It was only after joining Telco that I realised who JRD was: the
uncrowned
king of Indian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to
meethim
till I was transferred to Bombay. One day I had to show some
reports to Mr
Moolgaokar, our chairman, who we all knew as SM. I was in
his office on the
first floor of Bombay House (the Tata headquarters) when,
suddenly JRD
walked in. That was the first time I saw "appro JRD". Appro
means "our" in
Gujarati. This was the affectionate term by which people
at BombayHouse called him.

I was feeling very nervous, remembering my postcard

episode. SM introduced
me nicely, "Jeh (that's what his close associates called him),
this young
woman is an engineer and that too a postgraduate. She is
the first woman to
work on the Telco shop floor." JRD looked at me. I was
praying he would not
ask me any questions about my interview (or the postcard
that preceded it).
Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he remarked. "It is nice that
girls are
getting into engineering in our country. By the way, what is
your name?"
"When I joined Telco I was Sudha Kulkarni, Sir," I replied.
"Now I am
Sudha Murthy." He smiled and kindly smile and started a
discussion with
SM.

As for me, I almost ran out of the room.After that I used to

see JRD on
and off. He was the Tata Group chairman and I was merely an
engineer. There
was nothing that we had in common. I was in awe of him.
One day I was waiting for Murthy, my husband, to pick me
up after office
hours. To my surprise I saw JRD standing next to me. I did
not know how to
react. Yet again I started worrying about that postcard.
Looking back, I
realise JRD had forgotten about it. It must have been a small
incident for
him, but not so for me.
"Young lady, why are you here?" he asked. "Office time is
over." I said,
"Sir, I'm waiting for my husband to come and pick me up."
JRD said, "It is
getting dark and there's no one in the corridor. I'll wait with
you till your husband comes." I was quite used to waiting
for Murthy, but
having JRD waiting alongside made me extremely
uncomfortable.

I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at him.

He wore a
simple white pant and shirt. He was old, yet his face was
glowing. There
wasn't any air of superiority about him. I was thinking, "Look
at this
person. He is a chairman, a well-respected man in our
country and he is
waiting for the sake of an ordinary employee."
Then I saw Murthy and I rushed out. JRD called and said,
"Young lady, tell
your husband never to make his wife wait again." In 1982 I
had to resign
from my job at Telco. I was reluctant to go,but I really did
not have a
choice. I was coming down the steps of Bombay House after
wrapping up my
final settlement when I saw JRD coming up. He was absorbed
in thought. I
wanted to say goodbye to him, so I stopped. Hesaw me and
paused.
Gently, he said, "So what are you doing, Mrs Kulkarni?" (That
was the way
he always addressed me.) "Sir, I am leaving Telco." "Where
are you going?"
He asked. "Pune, Sir. My husband is starting a company
called Infosys and
I'm shifting to Pune." "Oh! And what will you do when you
are successful."

"Sir, I don't know whether we will be successful." "Never

start with
diffidence," he advised me. "Always start with confidence.
When you are
successful you must give back to society. Society gives us so
much; we must
reciprocate. I wish you all the best."

Then JRD continued walking up the stairs. I stood there for

what seemed
like a millennium. That was the last time I saw him alive.
Many years later
I met Ratan Tata in the same Bombay House, occupying the
chair JRD once
did. I told him of my many sweet memories of working with
Telco. Later, he
wrote to me, "It was nice hearing about Jeh from you. The
sad part is that
he's not alive to see you today."
I consider JRD a great man because, despite being an
extremely busy person,
he valued one postcard written by a young girl seeking
justice. He must
have received thousands of letters everyday. He could have
thrown mine
away, but he didn't do that. He respected the intentions of
that unknown
girl, who had neither influence nor money, and gave her an
opportunity in
his company. He did not merely give her a job; he changed
her life and
mindset forever. Close to 50 per cent of the students in
today's
engineering colleges are girls. And there are women on the
shop floor in
many industries segments.

I see these changes and I think of JRD. If at all time stops and
asks me
what I want from life, I would say I wish JRD were alive today
to see how
the company we started has grown. He would have enjoyed
it wholeheartedly.

My love and respect for the House of Tata remains

undiminished by the
passage of time. I always looked up to JRD. I saw him as a
role model for
his simplicity, his generosity, his kindness and the care he
took of his
employees. Those blue eyes always reminded me of the sky;
they had the same
vastness and magnificence."

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)

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.
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.