N. R. Narayana Murthy
Founder of Infosys and pioneer of India’s IT services industry
- Age
- 80 yrs
- Birthday in 298 days
- Works listed
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- Career highlights
- Honours
- 3
- Most recent 2008
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N. R. Narayana Murthy is the founder of Infosys, which he started in 1981 with six colleagues and a loan from his wife, and built into one of the world’s largest IT services companies. He is regarded as a father of the Indian IT industry.
Biography
Early career
Murthy studied electrical engineering at the National Institute of Engineering, Mysore, and took a master’s degree at IIT Kanpur. He worked as chief systems programmer at IIM Ahmedabad and later at Patni Computer Systems in Pune.
Infosys
In 1981 he founded Infosys with six colleagues, using ₹10,000 lent by his wife, Sudha Murty. As chief executive until 2002 and chairman until 2011, he built a company known for its global delivery model and corporate governance; in 1999 it became the first Indian company listed on Nasdaq. Infosys pioneered stock options for employees in India.
He received the Padma Shri in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008. His wife Sudha Murty is a writer and philanthropist, and his son-in-law Rishi Sunak was UK Prime Minister from 2022 to 2024.
Values
Murthy is known for his emphasis on frugality, transparency and meritocracy, and Infosys became a benchmark for corporate governance in India. He has spoken often about the importance of hard work for India’s development, comments that have sometimes sparked public debate.
Family
His wife, Sudha Murty, is a best-selling author, former chair of the Infosys Foundation and, since 2024, a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. Their daughter Akshata Murty is married to Rishi Sunak, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024; their son Rohan Murty is a computer scientist and founder of the Murty Classical Library of India.
Legacy
Murthy is often called the father of India’s IT services industry. Infosys’s success, and its sharing of wealth with employees through stock options, created thousands of middle-class millionaires and inspired a generation of Indian entrepreneurs. Fortune magazine named him one of the 12 greatest entrepreneurs of our time in 2012.
Timeline
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1946
Born in Sidlaghatta, Mysore State (now Karnataka)
-
1969
Chief systems programmer at IIM Ahmedabad
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1981
Founds Infosys
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1999
Infosys lists on Nasdaq
First Indian company to do so.
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2000
Padma Shri
-
2002
Steps down as CEO; becomes chairman
-
2008
Padma Vibhushan
-
2008
Officer of the Legion of Honour
France.
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2011
Retires as chairman
Returns briefly in 2013–14.
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2013
Returns as executive chairman of Infosys
Until 2014.
Awards and honours
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Padma Shri
2000
-
Padma Vibhushan
2008
-
Officer of the Legion of Honour
2008 · France.
Did you know?
-
1
He started Infosys with ₹10,000 borrowed from his wife.
-
2
His son-in-law Rishi Sunak was UK Prime Minister.
-
3
Infosys was the first Indian company listed on Nasdaq.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
Also born on 20 August
Frequently asked
Who is N. R. Narayana Murthy?
N. R. Narayana Murthy is the founder of Infosys, which he started in 1981 with six colleagues and a loan from his wife, and built into one of the world’s largest IT services companies. He is regarded as a father of the Indian IT industry.
How old is N. R. Narayana Murthy?
N. R. Narayana Murthy is 80 years old, born on 20 August 1946 in Sidlaghatta, Mysore State (now Karnataka).
Where is N. R. Narayana Murthy from?
N. R. Narayana Murthy was born in Sidlaghatta, Mysore State (now Karnataka).
What is N. R. Narayana Murthy known for?
N. R. Narayana Murthy is best known for Founding Infosys in 1981; first Indian company listed on Nasdaq.
What awards has N. R. Narayana Murthy received?
Notable honours include Padma Shri (2000), Padma Vibhushan (2008), Officer of the Legion of Honour (2008).
Who is N. R. Narayana Murthy married to?
Spouse: Sudha Murty (m. 1978).
References
- N. R. Narayana Murthy — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- N. R. Narayana Murthy — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- N. R. Narayana Murthy — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- N. R. Narayana Murthy — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- N. R. Narayana Murthy (Q1398708) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“N. R. Narayana Murthy.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/n-r-narayana-murthy
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