Sudha Murthy Biography : Some women are born to inspire. Be it Mother Teresa, Sarojni Naidu, or Kalpana Chawla, women have always been a source of motivation and a catalyst for social change. One such name is Sudha Murty who has made a prominent impact on Indian society. A writer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur, Sudha Murthy is greatly revered for being a prolific writer, facilitating the education of poor children, and being one of the brains behind Infosys, one of India’s leading IT companies. Soberly dressed in traditional Indian attire, Sudha Murthy’s philanthropic work has garnered global recognition.
From becoming the first female Engineer in India to heading a company like Infosys, her seriousness towards making a change in society and her educational journey has played a significant role in her making.
Early Life of Sudha Murthy
Before moving on, let’s start with the beginning. Here are a few important details about Sudha Murthy and her early life:
- On 19 August 1950, Sudha Murthy was born in a Brahmin family in Shiggaon, Karnataka.
- Her father Dr R.H. Kulkarni who was a surgeon and her mother Vimala Kulkarni supported her in her endeavours right from her childhood and raised young Sudha along with her three siblings.
- With constant support from her family in childhood, Sudha Murthy went on to pursue unconventional career choices which were not popular among girls.
- An educated atmosphere in the family instilled in her a passion to do something extraordinary at an early age.
- Sudha Murthy’s brother Srinivas Kulkarni is a renowned astronomer who received the Dan David Prize in 2017.
- Her early life experiences and affinity for her grandmother became the foundation for some of her books.
- Sudha Murthy’s childhood is often characterized by simplicity and a fire to learn.
- Due to her love for literature, she was often found immersed in literature.
Sudha Murthy Education
Sudha Murthy’s education was a significant aspect of her success as an author, though she had a technical academic background. It is clear that she was a topper in both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
She holds a BE degree in Electrical Engineering from B.V.B College of Engineering, Hubli. There also she secured gold medal at the time of award. Her ME degree in Computer Science, awarded to her in 1974, came from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, with yet another gold medal topping both her final examinations that had been awarded to her by then Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Sudha Murthy Career
Sudha Murthy has been a woman’s rights activist for years and an education development trendsetter. She wrote a letter to Tata Motors then known as Telco in response to their policy on hiring only men. It led to her getting invited for an interview, and she became the first female engineer that the company employed. She worked at Telco, transforming the hiring policies of the company.
Besides supporting her husband, Narayana Murthy, to start Infosys and providing an initial investment, Sudha Murthy has written vast literature that includes books for children. She has thus encouraged young and old to develop a reading habit.
Her education and unstinting commitment to societal development have made Sudha Murthy a prominent figure. By way of the Infosys Foundation, she has focused on creating awareness regarding issues such as education, public hygiene, poverty reduction, and many more. Sudha Murthy is also an adjunct professor at Bangalore University and has taught at the revered Christ University.
Sudha Murthy is an active member of the Gates Foundation and has significantly contributed to the revolutionary changes in India’s education system, especially by advocating for the use of computer technology in Karnataka schools. She also founded the Murty Classical Library of India at Harvard, which further established her legacy in education.
Sudha Murthy Major Achievements
Sudha Murthy’s educational contributions and works in diverse fields have earned her numerous coveted awards. She has received various awards for her academic achievements. In 2019, she was conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) degree by IIT Kanpur. Amongst her achievements are the wide collections of literary works she has produced in different languages. While she initially wrote in Kannada, she later began writing in English, too, and the themes were family, marriage, and social issues. She has received several awards, including the R.K. Narayan Award for literature.
Sudha Murthy Awards and Accolades
In her long career, Sudha Murthy has learned a lot. Let’s look at them one by one:
- India’s fourth-highest civilian honour Padma Shri in 2006
- Gold medal from Indian Institute of Engineers, India
- Cash award for securing highest marks in SSLC
- Gold medal from Chief Minister of Karnataka Sri Devaraj Urs, for securing the highest marks in B.E in the state
- CS Desai Prize for standing first at University of Karnataka
- Best Teacher Award in 1995 by Rotary Club of Karnataka
- ‘Ojaswini’ Award for excellent social work for the year 2000
- ‘Millenium Mahila Shiromani’ award
- R.K. Narayan’s Award for Literature
- Honorary LLD for her contribution to promoting formal legal education and scholarship in India
- Life Time Achievement Award at the Crossword-Raymond Book Awards
- “Hemmeya-Kannadiga” award from television
- IIT Kanpur awarded her an Honorary degree of Doctor of Science
Infosys and Social Work
Sudha Murthy is the chairperson and trustee of the Infosys Foundation, which she set up in 1996. She has done a master’s in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. She was interested in supporting various causes related to society.
Best Books Written by Sudha Murthy
Known for her writings in both Kannada and English, Sudha Murthy is a renowned author whose works include The Mother I Never Knew, Three Thousand Stitches, The Man from the Egg, and Magic of the Lost Temple. In recognition of her significant contributions, she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and the Padma Shri, India’s highest civilian honor, in 2019. Below is a collection of 15 of the best books written by Sudha Murthy, showcasing her literary brilliance.
Kannada Books
- Kaveri inda Mekaangige
- Tumla
- Runa
- Yashasvi
- Nooniya Sahasagalu
- Dollar Sose
- Guttondu Heluve
- Guttondu Heluve
- Athirikthe
- Hakkiya Teradalli
- Paridhi
- Yerilitada Daariyalli
- Compuer lokadalli
- Sukhesini Mattu Itara Makkala Kathegalu
- Samanyralli Asamanyaru
- Astitva
- Mahashweta
English Books
- The Mother I Never Knew
- Here, There, Everywhere
- Magic of the Lost Temple
- The Day I Stopped Drinking Milk
- The Upside Down King
- The Man from the Egg
- The Magic Drum and other favorite stories
- Wise and Otherwise
- Something Happened on the Way To Heavens
- Gently Falls The Bakula
- House of Cards
- The Daughter From A Wishing Tree
- The Old Man And His God
- How The Sea Became Salty
- The magic of the lost temple
- The Bird with the Golden Wings
- How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and other stories
- Grandparents Bag of Stories
- Dollar Bahu
- Three Thousand Stitches
- The daughter from a wishing tree
- The Serpent’s Revenge
- Grandma’s Bag of Stories 1
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