Sudha Murty's '10 Downing Street' story gets trolled; others support her
Sudha Murty, billionaire philanthropist and author, may not have expected the kind of backlash she is facing online, after narrating one of her usual stories driving home her simple lifestyle on a TV show.
Unfortunately, her story on giving ’10 Downing Street’ as her residential address to an immigration officer in London who was disbelieving at first because of her simple appearance, has become the target of trolls. Many memes and caustic comments have popped up on Twitter, much like the time Bollywood actor Alok Nath became the subject of hilarious memes for always playing this ‘good guy, sadhagi’ (squeaky clean) characters on screen.
Essentially, Twitter users are mocking Sudha Murty, one of the richest person in the country, constantly projecting herself as a “humble, down-to-earth” person. In fact, one tweet said: ‘When Sudha Murty tweets her location it is shown as down to earth!’
When #sudhamurty tweets her location is shown as down to Earth.
— Ray Stings (@Purba_Ray) May 18, 2023
Also read: Sudha Murthy prays for son-in-law Rishi Sunak at Sindhudurg temple
Another said: ‘Sudha Murty once asked for Haagen-Dazs ice-cream. The salesperson came back with Haldiram Imarti instead, such is the middle-class simplicity. We are like that only.’
Sudha Murthy once asked for Häagen-Dazs ice cream. The salesperson came back with Haldiram imarti instead. Such is the middle class simplicity. We are like that only.
— monaktrix (@monaktrix) May 17, 2023
— Mark Fernandes (@markfernandesss) May 18, 2023
A journalist tweeted, ‘Sudha Murty started a dating site for the children of simple-living billionaires. It’s called Humble.’ While another said that ‘Sudha Murty is so humble that she insists that the banks give her only simple interest’.
Sudha Murthy started a dating site for the children of simple-living billionaires. It’s called Humble.
— Peter Griffin 💉💉😷 (@zigzackly) May 18, 2023
These tweets took off when 71-year-old Sudha, also the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, recently narrated the story of her experience with a London immigration officer in The Kapil Sharma show. The wife of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and mother-in-law of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said she had forgotten her son’s address in the UK and decided to write down her residential address as ’10 Downing Street’ on the form.
The officer ostensibly asked her, “Are you joking?” since she appeared as a simple person. But, she reassured him that she was telling the truth.
This sparked off caustic comments on ‘simple Sudha’ on Twitter. Sudha Murty, also recounted another story on the show on how two women had called her ‘behenji’ at the London airport. This is apparently because she was dressed in a salwar kameez and was travelling on a business class ticket to catch a flight to Bengaluru from London.
Also read: Mulayam, SM Krishna, Zakir Hussain, Sudha Murty get Padma award
“Wearing a salwar-kameez with a business class ticket, I was standing in the queue at the Heathrow airport. The two co-passengers called me ‘behenji’ because I was in salwar kameez. According to them, if you wear a saree or salwar suit, then you are a ‘didi’ or ‘behenji’,” Murty said on the show.
Last month, she was again the topic of conversation on social media when to prove that ‘wives can change husbands’ (sic), Sudhy Murty said that she had made her husband a businessman and her daughter had made her husband, the Prime Minister of UK. This triggered a spate of comments against her.
Some Twitter users also protested against the heckling of an elderly lady and said that those who are mocking Sudha Murty must be ashamed of themselves. One twitter user asked why are people trolling her unnecessarily? “She don’t deserve this much hate. Everyone have their own perception and she said nothing wrong to be trolled. Her company is the second largest employer in Country. If can’t respect at least don’t troll,” said the user.
Why people are trolling her unnecessarily?
She don’t deserve this much hate.
Everyone have their own perception and she said nothing wrong to be trolled
Her company is the second largest employer in Country
If can’t respect atleast don’t troll#SudhaMurthy pic.twitter.com/w0Ds5WoqdY— Beyond Science (@pioneerbhatt) May 18, 2023