Sudha Murthy :: How her life changed dramatically

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 post graduate 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, hardworking and 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 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 mate told me I should use the opportunity to go to Pune free of cost and buy them the famous Pune saris for cheap! 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 seemed good 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 realised 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 realized who JRD was : the uncrowned king of Indian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to meet him 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 "aapro JRD".
Aapro means "our" in Gujarati. This was the affectionate term by which people at Bombay House 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 myinterview (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 a 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. He saw 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."
I said, "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 industry segments. I see these changes and I think of JRD. If at all time stops and asks me what I want from 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.
(Sudha Murthy is a widely published writer and chairperson of the Infosys Foundation involved in a number of social development initiatives. Infosys Chairman Narayana Murthy is her husband.)

Love Story of Narayana Murthy (Infosys Founder) and Sudha Murthy

Love Story of Narayana Murthy (Infosys Founder) and Sudha (From Sudha's Autobiography)

It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my friend Prasanna who isnow the Wipro chief, who was also training in Telco(TataMotors). Most of the books thatPrasanna lent me had Murty's name on them which meant that I had apreconceived image of the man. Contrary to expectation, Murty wasshy,bespectacled and an introvert. When he invited us for dinner. I wasa 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 wasrelentless and we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 p.m . atGreen Fields hotel on the Main Road ,Pune.

The next day I went there at 7' o ! clock since I had to go to the tailornear the hotel. And what do I see? Mr. Murty waiting in front of thehotel 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 couldmeet him...And I maintain that I did not say any such thing consciouslyor unconsciously because I did not think of Murty as anything other than afriend at that stage. We have agreed to disagree on this matter.

Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled with Murty'sexperiences abroad and the books that he has read. My friends insistedthat Murty as trying to impress me because he was interested in me. I keptdenying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said, I want to tellyou something. I knew this as 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 mylife an! d I can never give you any riches. You are beautiful, bright, andintelligent and you can get anyone you want. But will you marry me? Iasked Murty to give me some time for an answer. My father didn't want me tomarry a wannabe politician, (a communist at that) who didn't have a steadyjob and wanted to build an orphanage...

When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and his proposal. Mymother was positive since Murty was also from Karnataka, seemedintelligent and comes from a good family. But my father asked: What's his job, hissalary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working as a researchassistant and was earning less than me. He was willing to go dutch with me on ouroutings. My parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a particular dayat10 a. m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I trust a man to take careof my daughter if he cannot keep an appointment, asked my father.

At 12noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He had gone on work toBombay , was stuck in a traffic jam on the ghats, so he hired ataxi(though it was very expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law.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 andwanted to open an orphanage. My father gave his verdict. NO. I don'twant my daughter to marry somebody who wants to become a communist and thenopen an orphanage when he himself didn't have money to support his family.

Ironically, today, I have opened many orphanages something, whichMurty wanted to do 25 years ago. By this time I realized I had developed aliking towards Murty which could only be termed as love. I wanted to marryMurty because he is an honest man. He proposed to me highlighting thenegatives in his life. I promised my father that I will not marry Murty withouthis blessings though at the same time, I cannot marry anybody else. Myfather said he would agree if Murty promised to take up a steady job. ButMurty refused saying he will not do things in life because somebody wantedhim to. So, I was caught between the two most important people in my life.

The stalemate continued for three years during which our courtship tookus to every restaurant and cinema hall in Pune. In those days, Murty wasalways broke. Moreover, he didn't earn much to manage. Ironicallytoday, he manages Infosys Technologies Ltd., one of the world's most reputedcompanies. He always owed me money. We used to go for dinner and hewould say, I don't have money with me, you pay my share, I will return it toyou later. For three years I maintained a book on Murty's debt to me.. No,he nev ! er returned the money and I finally tore it up after my wedding. Theamount was a little over Rs 4000. During this interim period Murty quithis job as research assistant and started his own software business. Now, Ihad to pay his salary too! Towards the late 70s computers were enteringIndia in a big way.

During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a job as GeneralManager at Patni Computers in Bombay . But before he joined the companyhe wanted to marry me since he was to go on training to the US afterjoining. 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 WITHONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT.I GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDINGEXPENSES CAME TO ONLY RS 800 (US $17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS400 EACH.

I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty encourage! d me to seeAmerica on my own because I loved travelling. I toured America forthree months on backpack and had interesting experiences which will remainfreshin my mind forever. Like the time when the New York police took meinto custody because they thought I was an Italian trafficking drugs inHarlem . Or the time when I spent the night at the bottom of the GrandCanyon with an old couple. Murty panicked because he couldn't get aresponse from my hotel room even at midnight. He thought I was eitherkilled or kidnapped.

IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZEROCAPITAL...initially I was very apprehensive about Murty getting intobusiness. We did not have any business background .. Moreover we wereliving a comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check and Ididn't want to rock the boat. But Murty was passionate about creating goodquality software. I decided to support him. Typic! al of Murty, he just had adream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved for a rainyday, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I have. Take it. I giveyou three years sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial needsof our house. You go and chase your dreams without any worry. But you haveonly three years!

Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981,with enormousinterest and hard work. In 1982 I left Telco and moved to Pune with Murty. Webought a small house on loan which also became the Infosys office. I was aclerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer. I also took up a job as Senior SystemsAnalyst with Walchand group of Industries to support the house. In 1983Infosys got their first client, MICO, in Bangalore . Murty moved toBangalore and stayed with his mother while I went to Hubli to delivermy second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son was b! orn, Murty left for theUS on project work. I saw him only after a year, as I was unable to joinMurty in the US because my son had infantile eczema, an allergy tovaccinations. So for more than a year I did not step outside our home for fear of myson contracting an infection. It was only after Rohan got all hisvaccinations that I came to Bangalore where we rented a small house in Jayanagar andrented another house as Infosys headquarters. My father presented Murtya scooter to commute. I once again became a cook, programmer, clerk,secretary, office assistant et al. Nandan Nilekani (MD of Infosys) andhis wife Rohini stayed with us. While Rohini babysat my son, I wroteprograms for Infosys. There was no car, no phone, and just two kids and a bunchof us working hard, juggling our lives and having fun while Infosys wastaking shape. It was not only me but also the wives of other partners too whogave their unstinted support. We all knew that our men were trying to buildsomething good.

It was like a big joint family,taking care and looking out for oneanother. I still remember Sudha Gopalakrishna looking after my daughter Akshatawith all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked for all of us. Murtymade it very clear that it would either be me or him working at Infosys. Neverthe two of us together... I was involved with Infosys initially.

Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board but Murty said hedid not want a husband and wife team at Infosys. I was shocked since I hadthe relevant experience and technical qualifications. He said, Sudha if youwant to work with Infosys, I will withdraw, happily. I was pained toknow that I will not be involved in the company my husband was building andthat I would have to give up a job that I am qualifi! ed to do and love doing.

It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason behind Murty'srequest.. I realized that to make Infosys a success one had to give one's 100percent. One had to be focussed on it alone with no other distractions. If thetwo of us had to give 100 percent to Infosys then what would happen to ourhome and our children? One of us had to take care of our home while theother took care of Infosys.

I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was Murty's dream. It wasa big sacrificebut it was one that had to be made. Even today, Murtysays, Sudha, I stepped on your career to make mine. You are responsible formy success.

Great na.... That's the Power of Love.Every man need a women to motivate him and to give him a reason to live....