$ Love story of infosys mentor [love]

> >
> > Love Story of Narayana Murthy [infosys] and Sudha (From Sudha's
> Autobiography)
> >
> >
> > It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my friend Prasanna
> > who
is
> now the Wipro chief, who was also training in Telco. Most of the books
that
> Prasanna lent me had Murty's name on them which meant that I had a
> preconceived image of the man. Contrary to expectation, Murty was shy,
> bespectacled and an introvert. When he invited us for dinner, I was a
> bit taken aback as I thought the young man was making a very fast
move.
> > I refused since I was the only girl in the group. But Murty was
relentless
> and we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 p.m. at
> Green Fields hotel on the Main Road, Pune.
> >
> >
> > The next day I went there at 7' oclock since I had to go to the
> > tailor
> near the hotel. And what do I see? Mr. Murty waiting in front of the
> hotel and it was only seven. Till today, Murty maintains that I had
> mentioned
> (consciously!) that I would be going to the tailor at 7 so that I
> could
meet
> him...And I maintain that I did not say any such thing consciously or
> unconsciously because I did not think of Murty as anything other than
> a friend at that stage. We have agreed to disagree on this matter.
> >
> >
> > Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled with Murty's
> experiences abroad and the books that he has read. My friends insisted
that
> Murty as trying to impress me because he was interested in me. I kept
> denying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said, I want to tell
> you something. I knew this as it. It was coming. He said, I am 5'4"
tall.
> > I come from a lower middle class family. I can never become rich in
> > my
> life an! d I can never give you any riches. You are beautiful, bright,
> and intelligent and you can get anyone you want. But will you marry
> me? I
asked
> Murty to give me some time for an answer. My father didn't want me to
marry
> a wannabe politician, (a communist at that) who didn't have a steady
> job
and
> wanted to build an orphanage...
> >
> > When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and his proposal.
> > My
> mother was positive since Murty was also from Karnataka, seemed
intelligent
> and comes from a good family. But my father asked: What's his job, his
> salary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working as a research
> assistant and was earning less than me. He was willing to go dutch
> with me on our outings. My parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a
> particular day at10
a.
> m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I trust a man to take care of
> my daughter if he cannot keep an appointment, asked my father?
> >
> >
> >
> > At 12noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He had gone on work
> > to
> Bombay, was stuck in a traffic jam on the ghats, so he hired a taxi
(though
> it was very expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law.
> Father was unimpressed. My father asked him what he wanted to become
in life.
> > Murty said he wanted to become a politician in the communist party
> > and
> wanted to open an orphanage. My father gave his verdict. NO. I don't
> want
my
> daughter to marry somebody who wants to become a communist and then
> open
an
> orphanage when he himself didn't have money to support his family.
> >
> > Ironically, today, I have opened many orphanages something, which
> > Murty
> wanted to do 25 years ago. By this time I realized I had developed a
liking
> towards Murty which could only be termed as love. I wanted to marry
> Murty because he is an honest man. He proposed to me highlighting the
> negatives
in
> his life. I promised my father that I will not marry Murty without his
> blessings though at the same time, I cannot marry anybody else. My
> father said he would agree if Murty promised to take up a steady job.
> But Murty refused saying he will not do things in life because
> somebody wanted him
to.
> So, I was caught between the two most important people in my life.
> >
> > The stalemate continued for three years during which our courtship
> > took
us
> to every restaurant and cinema hall in Pune. In those days, Murty was
always
> broke. Moreover, he didn't earn much to manage. Ironically today, he
manages
> Infosys Technologies Ltd., one of the world's most reputed companies.
> He always owed me money. We used to go for dinner and he would say, I
> don't have money with me, you pay my share, I will return it to you
> later. For three years I maintained a book on Murty's debt to me.. No,
> he never returned the money and I finally tore it up after my wedding.
> The amount
was
> a little over Rs 4000. During this interim period Murty quit his job
> as research assistant and started his own software business. Now, I
> had to
pay
> his salary too! Towards the late 70s computers were entering India in
> a
big
> way.
> >
> > During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a job as General
> Manager at Patni Computers in Bombay. But before he joined the company
> he wanted to marry me since he was to go on training to the US after
joining.
> My father gave in as he was happy Murty had a decent job, now.
> >
> > WE WERE MARRIED IN MURTY'S HOUSE IN BANGALORE ON FEBRUARY 10, 1978
> > WITH
> ONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT.I GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDING
EXPENSES
> CAME TO ONLY RS 800 (US $17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS 400 EACH.
> >
> >
> > I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty encouraged me to
> > see
> America on my own because I loved travelling. I toured America for
> three months on backpack and had interesting experiences which will
> remain
freshin
> my mind forever. Like the time when the New York police took me into
custody
> because they thought I was an Italian trafficking drugs in Harlem . Or
> the time when I spent the night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon with
> an old couple. Murty panicked because he couldn't get a response from
> my hotel
room
> even at midnight. He thought I was either killed or kidnapped.
> >
> >
> > IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZERO
> CAPITAL...initially I was very apprehensive about Murty getting into
> business. We did not have any business background... Moreover we were
living
> a comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check and I didn't
> want to rock the boat. But Murty was passionate about creating good
> quality software. I decided to support him. Typical of Murty, he just
> had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved
> for a rainy day, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I
> have. Take it. I give
you
> three years sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial needs
> of
our
> house. You go and chase your dreams without any worry. But you have
> only three years!
> >
> >
> >
> > Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981,with enormous
> interest and hard work. In 1982 I left Telco and moved to Pune with
Murty.
> We bought a small house on loan which also became the Infosys office.
> I
was
> a clerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer. I also took up a job as Senior
> Systems Analyst with Walchand group of Industries to support the
> house. In 1983 Infosys got their first client, MICO, in Bangalore .
> Murty moved to Bangalore and stayed with his mother while I went to
> Hubli to deliver my second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son was b!
> orn, Murty left for the
US
> on project work. I saw him only after a year, as I was unable to join
Murty
> in the US because my son had infantile eczema, an allergy to
vaccinations.
> So for more than a year I did not step outside our home for fear of my
> son contracting an infection. It was only after Rohan got all his
> vaccinations that I came to Bangalore where we rented a small house in
> Jayanagar and rented another house as Infosys headquarters. My father
> presented Murty a scooter to commute. I once again became a cook,
> programmer, clerk, secretary, office assistant et al. Nandan Nilekani
> (MD of Infosys) and his wife Rohini stayed with us. While Rohini
> babysat my son, I wrote programs for Infosys. There was no car, no
> phone, and just two kids and a bunch of
us
> working hard, juggling our lives and having fun while Infosys was
> taking shape. It was not only me but also the wives of other partners
> too who
gave
> their unstinted support. We all knew that our men were trying to build
> something good.
> >
> > It was like a big joint family,taking care and looking out for one
> another. I still remember Sudha Gopalakrishna looking after my
> daughter Akshata with all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked
for all of us.
> Murty made it very clear that it would either be me or him working at
> Infosys. Never the two of us together... I was involved with Infosys
> initially.
> >
> >
> > Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board but Murty said he
> > did
> not want a husband and wife team at Infosys. I was shocked since I had
> the relevant experience and technical qualifications. He said, Sudha
> if you
want
> to work with Infosys, I will withdraw, happily. I was pained to know
> that
I
> will not be involved in the company my husband was building and that I
would
> have to give up a job that I am qualified to do and love doing.
> >
> >
> >
> > It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason behind Murty's
request..
I
> realized that to make Infosys a success one had to give one's 100
percent.
> One had to be focussed on it alone with no other distractions. If the
> two
of
> us had to give 100 percent to Infosys then what would happen to our
> home
and
> our children? One of us had to take care of our home while the other
> took care of Infosys.
> >
> >
> >
> > I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was Murty's dream. It
> > was a
> big sacrificebut it was one that had to be made. Even today, Murty
> says, Sudha, I stepped on your career to make mine. You are
> responsible for my success.
> >
> > Great na.... That's the Power of Love.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Every man need a women to motivate him and to give him a reason to
> live....