N. R. Narayana Murthy
N. R. Narayana Murthy | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy August 20, 1946 Sidlaghatta, Karnataka, India |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Business executive |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Known for | Founder of Infosys, Father of the Indian IT sector |
Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy (born 20 August 1946) is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur and the founder of Infosys. He held the position of CEO from 1981 to 2002, followed by chairman from 2002 until 2011, and subsequently became chairman emeritus. In June 2013, Murthy resumed the role of executive chairman for a five-year tenure. As of January 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately US$5.0 billion.
Originating from Karnataka, Murthy commenced his professional journey at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Patni Computer Systems. In 1981, he established Infosys, guiding it to emerge as a leading global IT services firm. During his stewardship, Infosys significantly broadened its market reach and became emblematic of India's outsourcing achievements.
Murthy has earned accolades such as being named among the 12 greatest entrepreneurs by Fortune and has been hailed by Time and CNBC as the "father of the Indian IT sector" due to his instrumental influence on India's outsourcing industry. He also co-chaired the World Economic Forum held in Davos in 2005.
His distinguished awards include the Padma Vibhushan and Padma Shri, alongside several other esteemed honors. Murthy has served on the boards of organizations like the United Nations Foundation and Ford Foundation. Additionally, he is related by marriage to Rishi Sunak, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 2022 and 2024.
Early life and education
N. R. Narayana Murthy was born on 20 August 1946 in Sidlaghatta, Karnataka, into a Kannada-speaking middle-class family belonging to the Deshastha Madhva Brahmin community. He completed his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the National Institute of Engineering in 1967 and went on to earn a master's degree at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 1969. In recognition of his achievements, Murthy was awarded an honorary degree by Lancaster University in 2007.
Career
Murthy’s early career included a role as a research associate at IIM Ahmedabad, where he contributed to developing India's first time-sharing computer system and created a BASIC interpreter for the Electronics Corporation of India Limited. After founding Softronics, which he later closed, he joined Patni Computer Systems based in Pune.
In 1981, Murthy co-established Infosys alongside six other software experts, initiating operations with capital amounting to Rs 10,000 provided by his wife, Sudha Murty. He led the company as CEO for over two decades until 2002 when co-founder Nandan Nilekani succeeded him. Under Murthy’s leadership, Infosys introduced the global delivery model that revolutionized IT outsourcing from India. He served as chairman from 2002 to 2006 and then took on the role of chief mentor before retiring as chairman emeritus in August 2011.
Murthy has held independent director positions on various corporate boards including those of HSBC, DBS Bank, Unilever, ICICI, and NDTV. He is involved with advisory boards at institutions such as Cornell University, INSEAD, and the Ford Foundation, participates in the Indo-British Partnership, and acts as trustee for entities including the Infosys Prize, the Institute for Advanced Study, and the Rhodes Trust. Furthermore, he chairs the governing board of the Public Health Foundation of India and serves on the Asia Pacific advisory board for British Telecommunications.
Murthy returned to Infosys in June 2013 as executive chairman before shifting to non-executive chairman in 2014 and subsequently assuming chairman emeritus status later that year. He also provides strategic and governance counsel to the national law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and is a member of IESE's International Advisory Board.
In 2010, Murthy invested in SKS Microfinance in collaboration with venture capitalist Vinod Khosla. He joined FXC’s board in 2016. In 2017, he publicly raised issues regarding corporate governance at Infosys, which were refuted by the company.
In early 2025, Murthy attracted criticism after proposing an increase in work hours up to 70 per week as a means to enhance India’s productivity levels.
Personal life
Murthy is married to Sudha Murty, who is recognized as an educator, writer, and philanthropist, and has served as the chairperson of the non-profit organization Infosys Foundation. The couple has two children: their son Rohan Murty, who was an executive assistant to Murthy at Infosys between 2013 and 2014 before establishing his own firm, Soroco, and their daughter Akshata Murty, who is married to Rishi Sunak, a British-Indian Conservative politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024.
Awards and honours
| Year | Award | Presented by |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Padma Shri | Government of India |
| 2002 | IET Honorary Fellow | Institution of Engineering and Technology |
| 2003 | Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year | Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Jury |
| 2007 | IEEE Ernst Weber Engineering Leadership Recognition | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| 2007 | Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | Government of United Kingdom |
| 2007 | Honorary Degree | Lancaster University |
| 2008 | Officer of the Legion of Honour | Government of France |
| 2008 | Padma Vibhushan | Government of India |
| 2009 | Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship | Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars |
| 2009 | Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) | Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University |
| 2010 | IEEE Honorary Membership | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| 2011 | Icon of India, NDTV Indian of the Year | NDTV |
| 2012 | Hoover Medal | American Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| 2013 | Philanthropist of the Year | The Asian Awards |
| 2013 | Sayaji Ratna Award | Baroda Management Association, Vadodara |
| 2013 | Listed among 25 Greatest Global Indian Living Legends | NDTV |
| 2014 | CIF Global Indian Award | Canada India Foundation |
| 2018 | Included in Asian Scientist 100 list | Asian Scientist |
| 2019 | Included in Asian Scientist 100 list | Asian Scientist |
| 2022 | Kempegowda Award | Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) |
| 2024 | India Lifetime Achievement Award (Patrick J. McGovern Awards) | Chiratae Ventures |
Bibliography
- Narayana Murthy, N. R., A Better India, A Better World, Penguin Books India, 2009
- Murthy, Narayana, The Wit and Wisdom of Narayana Murthy, Hay House, 2016
- Murthy, N. R. Narayana, A Clear Blue Sky: Stories and Poems on Conflict and Hope, Puffin Books, 2010
Further reading
- Chokkan, N., Narayana Murthy: I.T. Guru, Oxygen Books, 2007
- Mitra, Meera, It's Only Business!: India's Corporate Social Responsiveness in a Globalized World, Oxford University Press, 2007