‘Shaktiman’: Narayana Murthy gives tips on parenting; gets schooled by netizens

NR Narayana Murthy may be an IT icon, but many Indians have reacted sharply and even angrily to his suggestion on how parents need to bring up their children in a disciplined environment.

The Infosys co-founder found himself at the receiving end after telling an event in Bengaluru that parents were responsible for creating the right environment at home for children to study.

Murthy’s tip to parents

When asked how students can focus amid the varied distractions of social media, Murthy said that parents cannot be watching movies and expecting their children to focus on studies.

“If the parents are going and seeing movies and then telling ‘children, no, no, you study,’ (that won’t work),” he said.

Last year, Murthy had drawn widespread criticism including from industry leaders for his opinion that India needs to enhance its work productivity to match up to countries like China and Japan. Citing his own example, he had said that he used to work six days a week and 14 hours a day. 

Murthy elicits angry reactions

Reacting to his latest suggestion to parents, most Indians on the social media asked the billionaire how parents would get time to spend with their children if they were to work 70 hours every five days in a week as he had suggested earlier.

Several people took to the social media to say that what Murthy was suggesting was “unrealistic” as parents today had multiple tasks including work and household chores.

One Indian, Aparna Jaishankar, remarked: “Children want to play with other children in the evening, not sit with parents! Encourage to read by themselves! Buy books, make them library members.”

‘Disciplined environment’ tip

Another targeted Murthy: “Why is he making such judgmental statement and gyan as if Indians just do not (know) how to manage things.”

At the event, Murthy said that he his wife Sudha Murty – now a Rajya Sabha member -- dedicated over three and a half hours daily reading with their children Akshata and Rohan during their school years.

This effort was part of fostering a disciplined environment at home, he said.

He added that television was banned at home from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, and that everyone would continue studying together after dinner, until 11 pm, reinforcing a culture of discipline.

To this, social media user Parthu J Das commented: “72 hours kaam karne ke baad bhi partha tha(He studied even after working for 72 hours?)? Shaktiman.”