Sudha Murty is an Indian engineer, author and philanthropist who has achieved great things in her life through determination and kindness. She helped establish the Infosys Foundation in 1996 which has since built over 2,300 houses, 70,000 libraries, and 18,000 public toilets in India. One of her first projects was helping over 3,000 former devadasis, who were once considered outcasts, gain independence and better livelihoods through education programs and small loans. Murty's life of service and her inspiring books have positively impacted many lives in India.

1. Life Of An Ordinary
Person

2. Introduction
She is an ordinary person
with an extraordinary life,
who is also a mother, author,
philanthropist and entrepreneur.
She has achieved great things and serves as an inspiration to many. Her life’s
work is a powerful testimony of determination, kindness and how the power
of words can change the world.
She has taken on austerity and embraced it.
Her name is Sudha Murty.

3. About Her
“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision is merely passing time. But vision and
action together can change the world.” – Sudha Murty
Sudha Murty is the chairperson of Infosys Foundation and married to Narayana Murty, co-founder of
Infosys, the 4th biggest company in India. She is also a movie buff.
She was born on August 19, 1950, in Shiggaon, Karnataka, India. Her mother Vimala Kulkarni was a
school teacher and her father R.H. Kulkarni was a doctor.
She completed her Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from Basappa Veerappa
Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology (B.V.B ) in Hubli, a medium-sized town in the
state of Karnataka, India, where she stood first in her class and received a Gold Medal from the Chief
Minister of Karnataka.

4. In those days, engineering was an all-male domain and hence taboo
for girls. She was the only female student in an engineering college.
The lack of ladies' toilets on campus, eventually led her to build more
than 13000 toilets in Karnataka alone!
She later completed her master's programme in Computer Science
from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Again, she stood first
in her class and received a gold medal from the Indian Institute of
Engineers.

5. An Interesting Story
There is an interesting story behind her hiring in
Tata Motors, also known as TELCO.
One day, She came across a vacancy advertisement
of TELCO that explicitly stated "Female candidates
need not apply" in the footnote.
So she wrote a postcard to JDR Tata, chairman of
TELCO, regarding gender discrimination in the
company.
Sudha Murty with TELCO

6. Soon she got a call for the interview and became the first female
engineer hired at India’s largest automobile manufacturer TATA
Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO).
“With my experience in life, I want to tell you that having good
relationships, compassion and peace of mind is much more
important than achievements, awards, degrees or money.”
- Sudha Murty

7. INFOSYS FOUNDATION
“Life is an exam where the syllabus is unknown and question papers
are not set. Nor are there model answer papers.”
In 1996, the Infosys Foundation was instituted to fulfil the social
responsibilities of Infosys Limited. Sudha Murty was one of its first
trustees.
The idea was to provide compassionate aid regardless of caste,
creed, language or religion.
The foundation aimed to face issues of malnutrition, education,
access to medicine, rural development, self-sufficiency, cultural
activities, revival of the arts and destitute care.

8. This Public Charitable Trust has helped in building more than 2,300 houses in flood-affected areas and more than
70,000 libraries for schools in India. Her trust has built more than 18,000 public toilets in an effort to encourage
cleanliness in our country.
This non-profit organization is funded by Infosys and led by Sudha Murty.
A photograph of Droupadi
Murmu presenting the Padma
Bhushan Award to Sudha
Murthy in 2023.

9. The Very First Project
The first chapter of the book Three Thousand Stitches is also the
very first project of Sudha Murty in the Infosys foundation.
The chapter begins with the setting up of the Infosys Foundation
in 1996. There were many issues in front of the foundation, one
of them was to address the Devadasi Tradition.
The word “devadasi” means “servant of the Lord.”
Traditionally, devadasis were musicians and dancers who served a
deity or a temple for the rest of their lives. They had a high status
in society. But things eventually changed.
As the book read, I quote: “...however, as time went by, the
temples were destroyed and the tradition of the devadasis fell
into the wrong hands... the word devadasi became synonymous
with sex worker.”
A photograph of two devadasis in Chennai, India in

10. Sudha Murthy, with the help of the foundation, worked to change the lives of
thousands of devadasis for the better.
In 1996, she went to northern Karnataka where the practice of devadasi tradition was
prevalent.
The start was not easy at all for her. Devadasis considered her an outsider and didn’t
want to talk to her. On her first two attempts, devadasis chased her away by throwing
chappals and tomatoes at her.
Months went by. It took her three years to establish a relationship with them. She
became their darling akka or ‘elder sister’. They trusted her enough to share their
heart-touching stories.

11. Fast-forward seventeen years, now they are more independent and bold than ever.
More than 3,000 once-devadasis collectively, with the efforts of the foundation—
• Started an organization to support each other.
• Over time, small schools were established that offered night classes to the devadasis.
• They started a small bank and disbursed loans with minimal interest rates.
• Many started doing different jobs to supplement their incomes like rearing cows and buffaloes
As a result, slowly but steadily, they got out of the (traditional) vicious devadasi system they were
in. Most of their children have now become doctors, lawyers, nurses, clerks and teachers.
On the third anniversary of the small bank that they’d set up, they invited Sudha and collectively
gifted her a bedspread. They all had stitched some portion of it, hence three
thousand stitches.

12. “An old devadasis climbed up the stage and stood their proudly.
She said ‘We want to give our akka a special gift. It is an embroidered bedspread and each of us has
stitched some portion of it. So there are three thousand stitches.
Sudha has been working with them
for more than 20 years now.

13. Awards and Recognition
• Raja-Lakshmi Award (2004)
• Padam Shri (2006) 📚
• R.K. Narayan’s Award for life literature (2006) 📖
• Daana Chintamani Attimabbe Award (2010) 🌟
• Honorary LL.D. (Doctor of Laws) degrees from several
universities 🎓
• Basava Shree 2013 Award 🏅
• Crossword Book Award (2018) 📚
• Honorary Degree (Honoris Causa) of Doctor of Science from IIT
Kanpur (2019) 🎓
•Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar (2023) 📜
•Padam Bhushan (2023) 🎖️
•The Global Indian Award (2023)
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam presenting
the Padma Shri Award to Sudha
Murthy in 2006.

14. Basava Shree-2013 Award was
presented to Narayan Murthy &
Sudha Murthy for their contributions
to society in 2013.
Sudha Murthy receiving the
Raja Lakshmi Award in 2004.

15. An Author
Sudha is an avid book lover and a prolific Indian author. She has written several books in Kannada and
English languages, with some being fiction and others based on her real-life experiences. Her books
are popular for their simple and relatable writing style.
A few of her notable works in literature include:
• Wise and Otherwise
• Dollar Bahu
• How I taught My Grandmother to Read
• The Mother I Never Knew
• Gently Fall the Bakula
• House of Cards
• The Serpents Revenge
• Mahashweta
And many more

16. In Conclusion
“If you try to please everyone, you will please no one. It is impossible to lead
your life for others’ happiness.”
Just like the story of Three Thousand Stitches, there are many other stories
depicting the tenacity and courage of Sudha Murty that touched the lives of
others.
Her significant contribution to the betterment of society has had a meaningful
impact on the lives of thousands.
It is admirable to see her carry out selflessness and austerity in the everyday
struggles and victories, large and small.

17. Resources
• Three Thousand Stitches- by Sudha Murty
• https://newsable.asianetnews.com/karnataka/3000-devadasis-get-
aid-from-infosys-foundation
• Wikipédia
• https://prezi.com/p/kfjbuxmjutzi/sudha-murthy-ppt/
• https://leverageedu.com/blog/sudha-murthy/
• https://knoweldgehub.com/sudha-murthy/
• Time of India (TOI.com)
• https://newsable.asianetnews.com/karnataka/3000-devadasis-get-
aid-from-infosys-foundation
• https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/sudha-murty-
biography-1597851867-1

18. THANK YOU