Introduction:

Narayan Murthy, born on August 20, 1946, in Sidlaghatta, Karnataka, hailed from a middle-class family. He attended a government school and earned his B.Tech degree from the University of Mysore and later pursued his Masters from IIT Kanpur in 1969.

Career Journey:

Murthy embarked on his career as the chief systems programmer at IIM Ahmedabad. After a brief stint founding a company called Softronics, which unfortunately didn't succeed, he joined Patni Computer Systems in Pune. In 1981, fueled by his sharp intellect and business acumen, Murthy, along with six software professionals, established Infosys with an initial capital of Rs 10,000, contributed by his wife Sudha Murthy. Headquartered in Bangalore, Infosys became a global software consulting giant. Murthy served as CEO from 1981 to 2002, Chairman and Chief Mentor from 1981 to 2011, and Chairman Emeritus from August 2011 to May 2013. His leadership led Infosys to be listed on NASDAQ in 1999. Murthy pioneered the Global Delivery Model, a cornerstone of India's success in IT services outsourcing. He also championed corporate governance initiatives in India and advised several Asian countries in IT matters.

In 1996, Infosys expanded its presence to Europe with an office in Milton Keynes, UK, and earned accolades like "India's Most Respected Company" by Business World Survey in 2002. Today, Infosys and its subsidiaries boast a workforce of 130,820 employees.

Murthy serves as an independent director on HSBC's corporate board and has held director positions at DBS Bank, Unilever, ICICI, and NDTV. He's also involved in advisory roles at educational and philanthropic institutions globally, including Cornell University, INSEAD, and the UN Foundation. He chaired the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2005.

Murthy established the Narayana R Murthy Foundation at IIT Kanpur, supporting various academic departments and initiatives, providing grants to faculty members, and offering fellowships to PhD students in the field of computer science and engineering. His contributions earned him the Distinguished Alumnus Award from IIT Kanpur, recognizing his role in elevating India's standing in the international software arena.