The Devi Siddhidhatri is incarnated in the middle class women who with her simplicity and dedication has created an Indian multinational corporation, Infosys. A global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting.
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I hails from a middle class family from Shiggaon in Northern Karnataka. Born into a Deshastha Madhwa Brahmin family on 19 August 1950. My father Dr R.H Kulkarni was a surgeon and professor while my mother Vimla Kulkarni was a school teacher. Hence the environment at home was always studies oriented. My parents never differentiate between my brother, me and my sister, they gave equal opportunities and this was the reason I pursued Engineering when getting an education for a girl in 1960s was like a rare dream turning true.
I was very ambitious from my childhood and believed to achieve a bigger goal, I had to learn to let go the most mind occupying trivial and minor harassment issues which I faced being the only female student in the class of 150 engineering students. The boys played pranks on me everyday, spilled ink on my chair and used to throw paper airplanes at me. I chose to ignore them and never missed a single class, because I knew these boys will never share any notes with me or help me. I stayed non-defeated with complete focused on my studies. This gave me an opportunity to talk to my classmates (boys) on equal terms.
My perseverance and courage lead me win a gold medal in both of my degrees B.E and M.E from Karnataka Chief Minister Deva Raj. I completed my B.E from B. V. B College of Engineering & Technology in 1973 and M.E. in computer science ftom IIT in 1974. I wanted to go abroad and pursue my doctorate.
One night while I was walking back to the hostel, I came across an advertisement on my college notice board from a notable automobile company TELCO (at present TATA motors). The advertisement stated of vacancy for an engineer with a bottom line ‘Lady candidates need not apply’. This gender discrimination made me agitated and distressed, fumingly I headed towards my room and scribbled a postcard to the head of Telco Mr JRD Tata and applied for the same job. I still remember those words crystal clear, “The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who started the basic infrastructure industries in India, such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles, and locomotives. They have cared for higher education in India since 1900 and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating based on gender.”
I had forgotten about the letter and to my surprise in 10 days I received a letter from JRD Tata to turn up for the interview with all paid travel expenses. This incident stopped me from going abroad to study doctorate and I chose to appear for the interview in Pune. The funny side of this interview visit was my friends wanted me to buy saree for them from the shops in Pune and interview was just an excuse. Never did I know, that I will be selected and appointed as a Development Engineer in Pune and later worked in Mumbai and Jamshedpur.
While I was working at Pune, I met my best friend Narayan Murthy, though both of us were different yet there was something common and interesting between us. The ambitions and zealous nature made us a single unit. After three years of courtship, we decided to get married in 1978. There is again an interesting episode which happened during our courtship, Murthy owed Rs 4000 from me which I had maintained in a small diary and tore that paper when I got married to him, the cost ₹800/- of our marriage ceremony was equally shared by us.
Couple of years later, I had to leave my job at Telco and I came back to Pune to help Murthy with his new venture. Murthy was totally focused to achieve his goal and I became a single parent to our two children. I gave him my entire savings of Rs 10000 to fulfill his dreams. This was the money I had saved for the toughest times. It was a time, to save every single penny again till Murthy establishes his dream, Infosys. On seeing me, my children also started saving money. Murthy was not aware in which class his children studied and was never present for parent teachers meeting. I gave him three years leave from household duties and responsibilities so Murthy could freely work upon his ambitions and we shifted to Bangalore.
For a couple of years, Murthy and I worked together but it started affecting my family life especially my children. At this junction, I was again facing the important choices of my life to earn name and fame for the comapny or happily pull back and take care of the house and children. I knew my family needed me the most so I sacrificed my ambitions for a time being and entered a role of a proud homemaker. Just like my own children, I have nurtured and brought up Infosys like a mother.
My family always valued the actions of charity. Donations in form of money was never an idea of charity at our household but to offer beneficence generously. Charity is what could empower and improve the nation by bringing a change in the people’s lives and making them self sufficient. I would teach 100 children rather than donating 100 thousands in charity.
Every life incidents have given birth to my new vision. It was my daughter Akshata’s words when she was 15 years old, “Amma, you are well-read, well-traveled and educated lady. If you do not do any social work, then you do not have any right to talk about social work to anybody”. These words lingered on my mind for many days and gave birth to a Philanthropic.
There are many stories to tell, but this one is close to my heart, once while I was traveling from Bombay to Bengaluru, a poor girl named Chitra was traveling without a ticket. She was a run away child and the TT of the train had caught her. I could see the girl was in trouble and paid for her fare. Later I took her with me and got her admitted in an orphanage. I paid for her entire education and today Chitra is well settled in USA with a high paying job.
I work on the projects more in rural development, healthcare, education, and public hygiene. I saw that the women in villages need to get educated and more empowered. The Infosys foundation has built 2,300 houses in the flood affected areas. I have been working with Gates Foundation for many decades. Together we have opened many orphanages and schools having Computer Centers and libraries. I am also trying to help building 16,000 public toilets and several hundred household toilets in the rural villages of Bengaluru.
The advice I got from JRD Tata when I left my job at TELCO changed my life forever. He told me to remember that no one was owner of money. “You are only trustee of money and it always changes hands. When you are successful, give it back to society that gave you so much goodwill”. That’s how Sudha Murthy Foundation & Infosys Foundation formed and I am the trustee.
Not many know about my little secret. I am a crazy movie buff. I have watched 365 movies in 365 days and I watch them from all angles of direction, editing, story and acting. If not an engineer I would have been a successful film journalist. My interest towards writing developed from these entertainment sources and my educationist parents. I started writing from my early childhood in my native language Kanada. At the age of 50, I wrote my first book in English. All my stories are from my life experience blended with humour, moral and observations.
Numerous awards have been awarded to me and Murthy in our entire lifetime. I received Padma Shri for my contribution to the economy and social welfare. And I have also received the Raj Lakshmi Award and R.K Narayan award for Literature. If I am able to walk this path, every woman with her sheer dedication and will power can achieve any feat. We women are gifted with qualities of revolution, power, bold fierce, humble, obedient, strong and confident. Only to be an INSPIRATION in the whole world.
You have that power to create yourself.
Happy Dasera.
Written by Anjusha Chaughule