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N. R. Narayana Murthy
Narayana Murthy CIF (cropped).JPG
Murthy in 2014
Born
Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy

(1946-08-20) 20 August 1946 (age 78)
Sidlaghatta, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
(present-day Karnataka, India)
Alma mater National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru (BE)
IIT Kanpur (MTech)
Known for Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Infosys
Board member of United Nations Foundation
Ford Foundation
Spouse(s)
(m. 1978)
Children Akshata Murty
Rohan Murty
Relatives Rishi Sunak (son-in-law)
Shrinivas Kulkarni (brother-in-law)
Gururaj Deshpande (brother-in-law)
Awards

Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy, born on August 20, 1946, is a famous Indian businessman. He is known for being one of the seven people who started Infosys, a big technology company. He has held many important jobs at Infosys, like CEO and chairman.

After working for many years, he became the chairman emeritus, which means he retired but still holds an honorary title. In August 2024, his wealth was estimated to be around $5.1 billion. This made him one of the richest people in the world. He is also the father-in-law of Rishi Sunak, who used to be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Who is Narayana Murthy?

Narayana Murthy is often called the "father of the Indian IT sector." This is because he helped India become a global leader in computer services. He has been recognized by magazines like Fortune as one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time. He also helped lead the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

Early Life and Learning

N. R. Narayana Murthy was born in a town called Sidlaghatta in Karnataka, India. This was on August 20, 1946. He grew up in a middle-class family.

After finishing school, he studied electrical engineering. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1967 from the National Institute of Engineering. Later, in 1969, he got his master's degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

Starting Infosys

Before starting Infosys, Murthy worked as a computer programmer. He helped create India's first computer system that many people could use at the same time. He also designed a special computer language.

In 1981, Murthy and six other software experts decided to start their own company. They named it Infosys. His wife, Sudha Murty, gave them 10,000 Indian Rupees to begin.

What is Infosys?

Infosys is a global company that provides technology services. It helps other businesses with their computer systems and software. Murthy was the CEO of Infosys for 21 years, from 1981 to 2002. He helped create a way for Indian companies to offer IT services to the world.

His Role and Impact

After being CEO, Murthy became the chairman of Infosys from 2002 to 2006. He then became the chief mentor. In 2011, he retired and became the chairman emeritus. This means he is still honored by the company.

In 2013, he came back to Infosys for a short time as executive chairman. He helped guide the company again before fully stepping down in 2014. Murthy has also been a director on the boards of big companies like HSBC and Unilever. He advises many schools and charities too.

Family Life

Narayana Murthy is married to Sudha Murty. She is a well-known writer, teacher, and person who helps others through charity work. She used to be the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, which is a non-profit organization.

They have two children: a son named Rohan Murty and a daughter named Akshata Murty. Their son, Rohan, worked at Infosys for a year with his father. He later started his own company. Their daughter, Akshata, is married to Rishi Sunak. He was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024.

Awards and Recognitions

Narayana Murthy has received many important awards for his work. These awards recognize his contributions to business and technology.

The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to Shri N.R. Narayana Murthy, at an Investiture-I Ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on May 05, 2008
President Pratibha Patil presenting the Padma Vibhushan to N. R. Narayana Murthy, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in 2008
Year Name Awarding organization
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 NDTV Indian of the Year's Icon of India 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 25 Greatest Global Indian Living Legends NDTV
2014 CIF Global Indian Award Canada India Foundation
2022 Kempegowda Award Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)
2024 India Lifetime Achievement Award as a part of the 2024 Patrick J. McGovern Awards Chiratae Ventures

Books by Narayana Murthy

Narayana Murthy has also written several books, sharing his thoughts and experiences.

  • A Better India: A Better World, Penguin Books, 2009
  • A Clear Blue Sky: Stories and Poems on Conflict and Hope, Puffin Books India, 2017
  • The Wit and Wisdom of Narayana Murthy, Hay House, 2016
  • Mere Business Mantra [Hindi]

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