Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty is a pioneer in various aspects, notably being the first female engineer at TELCO, now known as Tata Motors. Sudha Murty completed her engineering during a time when it was particularly challenging for women to pursue careers in engineering. 

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

She is also recognised as an educator, author, philanthropist and is married to N R Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys. A surprising aspect of Sudha Murty's story is that she provided a financial boost to her husband by giving him Rs 10,000 to start his own company.

This decision, made at a time when the IT sector in India was in its early stages, showcases Sudha Murty's visionary outlook. She held a strong belief in the tremendous growth potential of the IT sector in India, demonstrating her confidence in its future success.

The story unfolds when Sudha Murty, introduced to Narayana Murthy by her college friend Prasanna, decided to invest in her husband's business idea. In 1981, Narayana Murthy conceptualised Infosys, and Sudha Murty contributed Rs 10,000 from her personal fund. This revelation was shared by Sudha Murty in an episode of The Kapil Sharma Show.

In an interview with Moneycontrol, Sudha Murty recalled how Narayana Murthy envisioned the growth of the IT sector in India, emphasising the need for a software revolution. 

The loan of Rs 10,000 provided by Sudha Murty played a crucial role in the launch of Infosys in 1981, starting from a one-bedroom apartment. Today, Infosys stands as one of the world's largest IT companies, with a market capitalization of Rs 6,35,000 crore. 

To date, Sudha Murty considers her decision to support Narayana Murthy with Rs 10,000 as her "best investment." She humourously expressed in an interview with NDTV that she might be the "best investor in India, at least, or maybe in the world... I don't know." Currently, Sudha Murty holds a 0.95% stake in Infosys.