N. R. Narayana Murthy, Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur

N. R. Narayana Murthy

Born 20 August 1946 · Karnataka

Founded Infosys, pioneering India's global IT services industry starting in 1981.

Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy is an Indian billionaire businessman. He is the founder of Infosys, and was the chairman, chief executive officer (CEO), president, and chief mentor of the company before retiring and becoming chairman emeritus. As of January 2025, his net worth was estimated at US$5.0 billion, according to Forbes.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Narayana Murthy personally continues to clean his home’s lavatory every night, a habit instilled by his father to challenge caste norms in India.

The Story

1
In 1981, in Bangalore, N. R. Narayana Murthy borrowed just $250 from his wife Sudha Murty to launch Infosys with six software engineers, starting a venture that would pioneer India’s IT services industry.
2
🌍 During the 1970s, Murthy’s incarceration in Bulgaria for three days forced him to reconsider his leftist beliefs, transforming him into a “compassionate capitalist” who envisioned entrepreneurship as a solution to Indian poverty.
3By 1993, Infosys became the first Indian company to be listed on the NASDAQ, breaking into global capital markets and showcasing Indian software capabilities internationally.
4🏢 Murthy introduced the Global Delivery Model (GDM) at Infosys, enabling round-the-clock software development through distributed teams across continents, a concept that reshaped outsourcing worldwide.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Vibhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1974, Murthy was arrested and held for three days near the Yugoslav-Bulgarian border, an event that shifted his ideology from communist leanings to entrepreneurial capitalism.

🖼️

Through the Years

5 photographs from the archives
N. R. Narayana Murthy with Stephan Schmidheiny at the 31st ISC Symposium (2001).
N. R. Narayana Murthy with Stephan Schmidheiny at the 31st ISC Symposium (2001).
2001
N. R. Narayana Murthy leading Asian Business Council delegation meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi (2007).
N. R. Narayana Murthy presenting report to Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in New Delhi (2012).
N. R. Narayana Murthy inaugurating ISiM's new building as Chairman and Chief Mentor of Infosys (2016).
N.R. Narayana Murthy with Infosys founding team in early office setting, showcasing 1980s IT industry beginnings.

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Sidlaghatta, Karnataka
Narayana Murthy was born into a Kannada-speaking middle-class family in Sidlaghatta, setting the cultural roots of his early life.
1946
📚
Education
Graduated National Institute of Engineering
Completed a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, laying the technical foundation for his career.
1967
📚
Education
Master’s from IIT Kanpur
Earned a master's degree, enhancing his technical expertise before entering professional life.
1969
🌟
Other
Arrested near Yugoslav-Bulgarian border
Held for three days, this experience changed Murthy’s political ideology from communism to compassionate capitalism.
1974
⚡
Career
Founded Infosys in Bangalore
Started Infosys with six colleagues and Rs 10,000 capital, focusing on software services for a global market.
1981
⚡
Career
Infosys listed on NASDAQ
Infosys became the first Indian company listed on NASDAQ, marking a milestone in Indian corporate history.
1993
⚡
Career
Co-chaired World Economic Forum, Davos
Murthy represented Indian entrepreneurship on the global stage at the World Economic Forum.
2005
🏅
Award
Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Murthy gained recognition as a global leader by joining this prestigious academic society.
2019
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 06
👤PERSONAL

Infosys started in 1981 with only Rs 10,000 capital, a modest sum contributed entirely by Murthy’s wife, Sudha Murty.

02 / 06
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Murthy’s Infosys was among only four Indian companies selected by General Electric in 1990 to develop software, marking a critical early client win.

03 / 06
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Murthy conceptualized the 24-hour workday in software development with Infosys’s Global Delivery Model, enabling projects to progress continuously across time zones.

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"Compassionate capitalism is capitalism in mind with the fairness of socialism at heart."

— N. R. Narayana Murthy

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murthy and others discuss iCreate in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
·YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

Murthy’s creation of Infosys and the Global Delivery Model revolutionized India’s IT outsourcing, turning the country into a software powerhouse. His leadership helped Infosys become the first Indian company listed on NASDAQ, setting a precedent for Indian firms accessing global capital. His emphasis on ethical capitalism and employee respect influenced corporate governance standards across India’s burgeoning tech sector.

💬 Social Buzz

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