Sudha Murty nominated to Rajya Sabha, says big Women's Day gift for me

Author and chairperson of Infosys Foundation Sudha Murty has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Congratulating Murty on X, PM Narendra Modi said her "Contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring".

The PM said her presence in the Rajya Sabha is a powerful testament to 'Nari Shakti', exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping our nation's destiny. 

Murty, who is not in India at the moment, thanked PM Modi for the nomination and said, “It’s a big Women’s Day gift to me. It’s a new responsibility to work for the country.”

Born on August 19, 1950 in Karnataka's Shiggaon, Murty began her career as a computer scientist and engineer, going on to become the first female engineer hired at Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (Telco).

An educator, author and philanthropist, Murty is seen as an inspiration for many and is best known for her contribution to literature in Kannada and English. Married to the co-founder of Infosys, N. R. Narayana Murthy, she was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India in 2006. 

Murty is also a member of the public healthcare initiatives of the Gates Foundation. The Infosys chairperson has established several orphanages, partook in rural development endeavours, supported the movement to provide all Karnataka government schools with computer and library facilities, and founded the Murty Classical Library of India at Harvard University.