My writing is independent of Murthy, says Sudha Murty

Author and philanthropist Sudha Murty said that while her billionaire businessman husband N R Narayana Murthy’s company Infosys helped her expand her “canvas”, her writing career was her own.

Sudha Murty, Chairperson of the non-profit Infosys Foundation, on Friday (January 20) said she would not have been able to do philanthropy but for the wealth of her husband, whom she calls Murthy.

Prolific writer

A prolific writer in English and Kannada, Sudha Murty has penned novels, technical books, travelogues, collections of short stories and non-fiction pieces, besides eight bestselling books for children.

These include “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories,” “The Gopi Diaries” and “How the Onion Got its Layers”.

Independent writer

“My writing is independent of Murthy. It is within me, and what I write has nothing to do with Infosys. Infosys gave me a lot of help to do my philanthropy. Without Infosys and Murthy’s money, I would not have done philanthropy. But writing is entirely mine,” she said.

Also read: Mysore varsity to confer honorary doctorate on Sudha Murty

“My canvas became large because of the Foundation. I would meet politicians, film stars, poorest of the poor, etc. They all are entirely different but they are connected in some way,” the Padma Shri winner said at a session, ‘My Books and Beliefs’, on the second day of the Jaipur Literature Festival.

The 71-year-old author and educator, who once told her husband that he misspells his surname, thanked him for his support over the years.

“Thank you, Narayana Murthy,” she said.

‘Best investor in world’

“When I married him, he was unemployed. I made a good decision. I’m a better decision maker. I’m not good at economics but I’m the best investor in the world. I gave Rs.10,000 and look at that today!” she quipped.

Sudha Murty, the first female engineer to be hired at TATA Engineering and Locomotive Co (TELCO), said it was possible for women to have it all.

“It is possible to do (it all for women) but sometimes I feel that the magic of storytelling has put me in this position… Being a teacher, I know how to hold a class of 45 minutes,” she added.

Thanks daughter 

She also thanked her “guru” and daughter Akshata Murty, a fashion designer and venture capitalist, for “waking” her up and helping her realize her potential.

Asked how it felt that her son-in-law Rishi Sunak is the British Prime Minister, Murty said she was happy. But for her, relationships preceded positions of power.

Also read: Incredibly proud of parents-in-law: Sunak hits back over wife’s Infosys wealth

“Any mother-in-law will be happy that her son-in-law is a PM. But nothing more than that. He is in his country serving his people, and I am in my country serving mine.

Sunak is busy

“Positions come and positions go but relationships should remain the same. For me, he will always be my son-in-law. I always wish him the best in whatever he does. I don’t interfere in their politics or 10 Downing Street,” she said.

The author said she hasn’t visited Sunak since he became the Prime Minister in October. “He is very busy and so am I.”

(With Agency inputs)