Sudha Murty

Sudha Murty is an Indian educator, author, and philanthropist who chairs the Infosys Foundation and the Murty Trust. She is known for her decades of social work across education, healthcare, and rural development, and for writing over 40 books in English and Kannada. In March 2024, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of parliament.

Murty has received the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, two of India's highest civilian honours. Her writing, which includes titles like How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Wise and Otherwise, has made her a household name in Indian literature. She is also the founder of the Murty Classical Library of India at Harvard University.

As of 2026, she continues to serve in Parliament and remains a prominent voice on education and social issues. Her approachable style and commitment to simple living have earned her widespread affection, especially among young readers and aspiring engineers. [edit]

Sudha Murty was born in Shiggaon, a small town in Karnataka's Haveri district, into a middle-class Brahmin family. Her father, a surgeon, and her mother, a school teacher, instilled in her a respect for learning and service. She completed her schooling in Karnataka, then studied electrical engineering at B.V.B. College of Engineering and Technology in Hubli, graduating with distinction.

She went on to earn a master's degree in computer science from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, where she was one of the few female students at the time. Her first job application turned into a landmark moment: she wrote to J.R.D. Tata, chairman of TELCO, challenging the company's policy of not hiring women for shop-floor engineering roles. Impressed by her initiative, Tata interviewed her personally and offered her the position, making her the first female engineer at TELCO.

Working at TELCO and later at the Walchand Group in Pune, she gained valuable experience in engineering and management. In 1978, she married N.R. Narayana Murthy, then a young software professional. When he decided to start his own software company in 1981, Sudha lent him ₹10,000 from her savings, a story that has become part of Infosys's founding legend. That seed money helped launch what would become one of India's most successful IT firms. [edit]

Sudha Murty's career took a turn toward philanthropy in 1996 when she founded the Infosys Foundation, serving as its chairperson. Under her leadership, the foundation has built schools, hospitals, and orphanages across India, supported rural development, and provided relief during natural disasters. She also initiated programs to equip government schools in Karnataka with libraries and computer facilities.

Her literary career blossomed alongside her social work. She published her first book in Kannada in the 1990s and has since written over 40 titles, including novels, short story collections, and children's books. Her works, such as The Old Man and the God and The Daughter from a Wishing Tree, draw on her experiences with people she met through her foundation work. Penguin Random House India has published many of her English titles.

In 2010, she established the Murty Classical Library of India at Harvard University, an ambitious project to publish Indian literary classics in translation. She served on the board of the Reserve Bank of India from 2004 to 2006. In March 2024, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, where she has been an active participant in debates on education and social welfare. In 2026, she received an honorary doctorate from an Indian Institute of Technology and was featured in the Hurun India Women Leaders List. [edit]

Sudha Murty's public image is that of a warm, principled, and approachable figure. She is affectionately called 'Sudha Amma' by children, reflecting her dedication to education and child welfare. Her distinctive style of wearing simple cotton sarees and her grandmotherly demeanour make her relatable to millions of Indians.

Media portrayals often highlight her integrity and down-to-earth nature. She is known for her candid speeches at colleges, where she advises students to pursue excellence with dedication. Her social media presence, particularly on Instagram, offers a glimpse into her daily life, often featuring her reading, meeting people, or sharing snippets of her writing. Fans admire her for staying grounded despite her family's immense wealth and for her consistent advocacy for gender equality and education. [edit]

Sudha Murty commands a unique form of reverence that transcends typical celebrity worship, rooted instead in decades of intellectual contribution and philanthropic action. Her audience consists primarily of readers, students, and admirers who value her candor on social issues over the spectacle of fame. While she maintains an active presence on platforms like Instagram and X, engaging directly with followers about writing and policy, there is no organized fanbase with a formal name or ritualistic campaigns. The devotion shown to her stems from her role as a trusted elder stateswoman rather than pop culture iconography. This distinct dynamic places her firmly within the global consciousness not through viral trends but through enduring cultural impact. Her influence spans generations, from the children she calls 'Sudha Amma' to the policymakers she advises. In August 2026, this broad resonance was quantified by the 13th most famous person in Indian Dramas ranking, a position she has held steady since the previous cycle. These placements are part of the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, which track global attention across media coverage, search, and consumption signals worldwide. Such metrics confirm that her voice remains one of the most recognized and respected in the nation's cultural landscape.[edit]

Sudha Murty's grandmother was a self-trained village midwife, a fact she often cites as the root of her commitment to service. She has spoken candidly about experiencing severe menopause symptoms, advocating for open conversations about women's health. On her first trip to the USA, she faced a tough immigration interview, which she later recounted with humour and insight. She is known to carry a simple cotton saree and prefers train travel over flights for domestic journeys. Her favourite authors include R.K. Narayan and she enjoys cooking traditional Kannadiga dishes. A lesser-known fact: she once wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper about the poor condition of a local road, which led to its repair within weeks.

One of the most retold stories from her life is her time at Indian Telephone Industries, where she refused a promotion that would have separated her from her family, prioritizing her values over career advancement. Another iconic moment is the publication of How I Taught My Grandmother to Read, which sparked national conversations about adult literacy. More recently, in early 2026, she became a central figure in a viral deepfake incident, where AI-generated videos of her were used to promote fraudulent investment schemes. She publicly warned the public, reinforcing her role as a guardian against digital misinformation.

A story fans still retell is her professional origin: after completing her master's in computer science at the Indian Institute of Science, she applied for a position at Telco (now Tata Motors) and was rejected on the grounds that the company did not employ women in engineering roles. She wrote a letter to the chairman, questioning the policy, and was subsequently offered the job, a moment that has become part of her legend. Her 2026 advocacy for addressing postpartum depression, affecting one in five new mothers, and her call for a national policy, have also become notable public moments, as has her honorary doctorate from IIT Dharwad in the same year.[edit]

Sudha Murty married N.R. Narayana Murthy in 1978. The couple has two children: Rohan Murty, an academic and entrepreneur, and Akshata Murty, who is married to Rishi Sunak, the former UK Prime Minister. The family remains close-knit, with frequent gatherings and shared celebrations. In July 2026, Rohan shared news of a family week in which Narayana, Sudha, and S.R. Kulkarni were all honoured, with an award previously won by Albert Einstein.

The Murty household is known for its simplicity and strong values. Sudha often speaks of her mother-in-law's influence and the importance of humility. The family has a pet dog named Kalu, who often appears in Sudha's social media posts. [edit]

N.R. Narayana Murthy, Rohan Murty, Akshata Murty, Nandan Nilekani, Rohini Nilekani. [edit]

Sudha Murty's personal life has been remarkably stable, with only one publicly documented relationship. She married N.R. Narayana Murthy in 1978, after meeting him while both were working in the technology sector in Pune. Their partnership has been characterized by mutual respect and shared values. Narayana Murthy has often credited Sudha for providing the initial ₹10,000 that helped start Infosys, a story that has become legendary in Indian business circles.

The couple has two children, Rohan and Akshata, and has been married for over 47 years. There have been no reports of any other romantic relationships or marital discord. As of 2026, Sudha Murty remains married to Narayana Murthy, and they continue to be one of India's most respected couples. [edit]

iFANN's editorial analysis currently estimates Sudha Murty's net worth at around $2 million, a figure that reflects her personal earnings rather than her family's substantial holdings in Infosys. Her income primarily stems from book royalties from over 40 published titles, which continue to sell steadily in India and abroad. She also earns from her role as chairperson of the Murty Trust, which oversees philanthropic ventures. Notably, she has often stated that she lives a simple lifestyle and donates a significant portion of her earnings to charitable causes. The Infosys Foundation, which she founded, is funded by Infosys and receives a portion of its profits annually, but she does not draw a salary from it. Her wealth has grown gradually over the years, primarily through family investments in Infosys shares, which have appreciated considerably. However, she has consistently prioritized giving back over accumulating personal wealth, a stance that has endeared her to the public.[edit]

Sudha Murty has received two of India's highest civilian honours: the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2023. She has also been awarded honorary doctorates from several Indian universities, including an IIT in 2026. [edit]