How a Woman's Emergency Funds Boosted a Startup to $80 Billion Company

Sudha Murty is esteemed as an educator, accomplished author, and dedicated philanthropist. Adding to her notable achievements, she is married to N R Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys, further solidifying her association with significant contributions to the technology sector.

Mohammad Jazib
Jan 4, 2024, 18:24 IST
How a Woman's Emergency Funds Boosted a Startup to $80 Billion Company
How a Woman's Emergency Funds Boosted a Startup to $80 Billion Company

Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, stands as a trailblazer in multiple domains. She earned the distinction of being the inaugural female engineer at TELCO, presently recognised as Tata Motors. Surmounting the hurdles of an era when women faced formidable obstacles in pursuing engineering careers, Sudha Murty completed her engineering education.

How a Woman's Emergency Funds Boosted a Startup to $80 Billion Company

Beyond her engineering prowess, Sudha Murty is esteemed as an educator, accomplished author, and dedicated philanthropist. Adding to her notable achievements, she is married to N R Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys, further solidifying her association with significant contributions to the technology sector.

ALSO READ| Know Sudha Murty’s Impressive Educational Qualifications

Sudha Murthy Lend Narayana Murthy Money For Infosys

In a remarkable twist of Sudha Murty's narrative, she played a pivotal role in catalysing her husband's entrepreneurial journey by providing a substantial financial infusion of Rs 10,250. This financial backing, given to Narayana Murthy, laid the foundation for what would eventually evolve into Infosys—an IT behemoth with a current market capitalisation of approximately $80 billion. Sudha Murty's contribution transformed her into an inadvertent "angel investor" in the nascent stages of Infosys, a company initiated by Narayana Murthy and six other software professionals in a modest one-bedroom apartment in 1981.

How a Woman's Emergency Funds Boosted a Startup to $80 Billion Company

Reflecting on the genesis of Infosys, Sudha Murty, in an interview with Moneycontrol, reminisced about Narayana Murthy's foresight regarding the growth potential of the IT sector in India, underlining the imperative for a software revolution.

In an intriguing turn, Sudha Murty deems her decision to financially support Narayana Murthy with Rs 10,250 as her "best investment" to date. Playfully asserting herself as the potential "best investor in India, at least, or maybe in the world," she expressed this sentiment in an interview with NDTV. Notably, Sudha Murty currently holds a 0.95% stake in Infosys.

The revelation that the funds originated from her clandestinely accumulated emergency fund, unbeknownst to her husband, adds a layer of intrigue to Sudha Murty's astute financial manoeuvre.

“My mother told me when I was married, you know, you should always keep some money. And this money should be used only in an emergency, not to buy a sari, not to buy gold or anything,” she said to MoneyControl. Adhering to her mother's counsel, Sudha Murty diligently set aside a modest fraction of both her and her husband's earnings each month, discreetly preserving these funds without his awareness.

Hello, my name is Mohammad Jazib Ul Quanain. I was born and raised in the beautiful valley of Kashmir. During the initial years of my life, I chose engineering as my career. It didn't work out as I wanted it, so I pursued Journalism and haven't regretted it since. I completed my master's from Chandigarh University in Journalism and Mass Communication. Also, I have almost 2 years of experience in content writing and Journalism. If I'm not writing articles, you may find me riding my motorcycle to a remote location or relaxing on the couch watching anime.
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