The two electronic equipments which are indispensable are laptops and mobile phones.It seems impossible to go out anywhere with out these two.Out of these,laptops are more important as they are very important for presentations during client meetings.I am currently doing my post graduate in management and my laptop is my like part of my life.Be it in classes or for presentations or for client meetings, I take it everywhere with me.Its the best place to take notes and we can quickly browse online for fast information.My old laptop crashed and I was looking for models to buy a new one.I was reading a review at cnet on Samsung Notebook NC 20 laptop and it was just perfect.It matched all my requirements.This cute little laptop has a wide 12.1 inch screen which is just perfect for carrying around and a nice keyboard which feels very comfortable for typing. This laptop also gives me an amazing 6 hours of battery backup, thanks to energy efficient Intel Atom processor.I not only use laptop for presentations but also have a huge collection of movies and songs which I see when I take a break.For that I want a good sound output from my laptop .It has a more powerful 1.6GHz VIA Nano U225 processor and VIA Chrome 9 HC3 Graphics, which provides enough graphics power to playback full HD / 1080p video without any problems.I would strongly suggest my readers to go to your nearest computer shop and try your hands on Samsung NC 20.Please check out this product and feel free to comment or ask any queries that you may have.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, November 30, 2008
THINK OUT OF THE BOX!
* Employee "A" in a company walked up to his manager and asked what my
job is for the day?
* The manager took "A" to the bank of a river and asked him to cross
the river and reach the other side of the bank.
* "A" completed this task successfully and reported back to the
manager about the completion of the task assigned. The manager smiled
and said "GOOD JOB"
Next day Employee "B" reported to the same manager and asked him the job
for the day. The manager assigned the same task as above to this person
also.
* The Employee "B' before starting the task saw Employee "C"
struggling in the river to reach the other side of the bank. He realized
"C" has the same task.
* Now "B" not only crossed the river but also helped "C" to cross the
river.
* "B" reported back to the manager and the manager smiled and said
"VERY GOOD JOB"
The following day Employee "Q" reported to the same manager and asked
him the job for the day. The manager assigned the same task again.
* Employee "Q" before starting the work did some home work and
realized "A", "B" & "C" all has done this task before. He met them and
understood how they performed.
* He realized that there is a need for a guide and training for doing
this task.
* He sat first and wrote down the procedure for crossing the river,
he documented the common mistakes people made, and tricks to do the task
efficiently and effortlessly.
* Using the methodology he had written down he crossed the river and
reported back to the manager along with documented procedure and
training material.
* The manger said "Q" you have done an "EXCELLENT JOB".
The following day Employee "O' reported to the manager and asked him the
job for the day. The manager assigned the same task again.
"O" studied the procedure written down by "Q" and sat and thought about
the whole task.
He realized company is spending lot of money in getting this task
completed. He decided not to cross the river, but sat and designed and
implemented a bridge across the river and went back to his manager and
said, "You no longer need to assign this task to any one".
The manager smiled and said "Outstanding job 'O'. I am very proud of
you."
What is the difference between A, B, Q & O????????
Many a times in life we get tasks to be done at home, at office, at
play., Most of us end up doing what is expected out of us. Do we feel
happy? Most probably yes. We would be often disappointed when the
recognition is not meeting our expectation.
Let us compare ourselves with "B". Helping some one else the problem
often improves our own skills. There is an old proverb (I do not know
the author) "learn to teach and teach to learn". From a company point of
view "B" has demonstrated much better skills than "A" since one more
task for the company is completed.
"Q" created knowledge base for the team. More often than not, we do the
task assigned to us without checking history. Learning from other's
mistake is the best way to improve efficiency. This knowledge creation
for the team is of immense help. Re-usability reduces cost there by
increases productivity of the team. "Q" demonstrated good "team-player"
skills,
Now to the outstanding person, "O" made the task irrelevant; he created
a Permanent Asset to the team.
If you notice B, Q and O all have demonstrated "team performance" over
an above individual performance; also they have demonstrated a very
invaluable characteristic known as "INITIATIVE".
Initiative pays of every where whether at work or at personal life. If
you put initiative you will succeed. Initiative is a continual process
and it never ends. This is because this year's achievement is next
year's task. You cannot use the same success story every year.
The story provides an instance of performance, where as measurement
needs to be spread across at least 6-12 months. Consequently performance
should be consistent and evenly spread.
Out-of-Box thinkers are always premium and that is what every one
constantly looks out for. Initiative, Out-of-Box thinking and commitment
are the stepping stone to success.
Initiative should be life long.
Think of out of the box !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
job is for the day?
* The manager took "A" to the bank of a river and asked him to cross
the river and reach the other side of the bank.
* "A" completed this task successfully and reported back to the
manager about the completion of the task assigned. The manager smiled
and said "GOOD JOB"
Next day Employee "B" reported to the same manager and asked him the job
for the day. The manager assigned the same task as above to this person
also.
* The Employee "B' before starting the task saw Employee "C"
struggling in the river to reach the other side of the bank. He realized
"C" has the same task.
* Now "B" not only crossed the river but also helped "C" to cross the
river.
* "B" reported back to the manager and the manager smiled and said
"VERY GOOD JOB"
The following day Employee "Q" reported to the same manager and asked
him the job for the day. The manager assigned the same task again.
* Employee "Q" before starting the work did some home work and
realized "A", "B" & "C" all has done this task before. He met them and
understood how they performed.
* He realized that there is a need for a guide and training for doing
this task.
* He sat first and wrote down the procedure for crossing the river,
he documented the common mistakes people made, and tricks to do the task
efficiently and effortlessly.
* Using the methodology he had written down he crossed the river and
reported back to the manager along with documented procedure and
training material.
* The manger said "Q" you have done an "EXCELLENT JOB".
The following day Employee "O' reported to the manager and asked him the
job for the day. The manager assigned the same task again.
"O" studied the procedure written down by "Q" and sat and thought about
the whole task.
He realized company is spending lot of money in getting this task
completed. He decided not to cross the river, but sat and designed and
implemented a bridge across the river and went back to his manager and
said, "You no longer need to assign this task to any one".
The manager smiled and said "Outstanding job 'O'. I am very proud of
you."
What is the difference between A, B, Q & O????????
Many a times in life we get tasks to be done at home, at office, at
play., Most of us end up doing what is expected out of us. Do we feel
happy? Most probably yes. We would be often disappointed when the
recognition is not meeting our expectation.
Let us compare ourselves with "B". Helping some one else the problem
often improves our own skills. There is an old proverb (I do not know
the author) "learn to teach and teach to learn". From a company point of
view "B" has demonstrated much better skills than "A" since one more
task for the company is completed.
"Q" created knowledge base for the team. More often than not, we do the
task assigned to us without checking history. Learning from other's
mistake is the best way to improve efficiency. This knowledge creation
for the team is of immense help. Re-usability reduces cost there by
increases productivity of the team. "Q" demonstrated good "team-player"
skills,
Now to the outstanding person, "O" made the task irrelevant; he created
a Permanent Asset to the team.
If you notice B, Q and O all have demonstrated "team performance" over
an above individual performance; also they have demonstrated a very
invaluable characteristic known as "INITIATIVE".
Initiative pays of every where whether at work or at personal life. If
you put initiative you will succeed. Initiative is a continual process
and it never ends. This is because this year's achievement is next
year's task. You cannot use the same success story every year.
The story provides an instance of performance, where as measurement
needs to be spread across at least 6-12 months. Consequently performance
should be consistent and evenly spread.
Out-of-Box thinkers are always premium and that is what every one
constantly looks out for. Initiative, Out-of-Box thinking and commitment
are the stepping stone to success.
Initiative should be life long.
Think of out of the box !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Zenni opticals!
Who says that if one wears glasses it makes them look like a geek?! With the right set of glasses, you can carry on a stylish and smart look of your own trend! zennioptical.com gives us the opportunity to choose the right set of glasses which gives us the right frame that fits our face and also with an additional feature of adjustable nosepad wires.There are fours kinds of frames available,Monel steel alloy, stainless steel, memory titanium, plastic and memory plastic, each having its own unique features. This not only enables us to choose the right frame which we are comfortable with but also the prices of these start at a low rate of only eight dollars! You will find huge selection of frames, with single vision lens, sunsensor lens, tinted suglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens. The Secret to Zenni’s Low Prices is that they sell only their own manufactured frames direct to the customer, with no middlemen and virtually no advertising budget. So go on order from zenni opticals and set your own style!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
u are never lost!
One day a traveler in a remote country town, convinced that he was
on the wrong road, came to a halt in a village. He called one of the
villagers and said to him, "Friend, I need help. I am lost!".
The villager looked at him for a moment and asked, "Do you know
where you are?"
"Yes" said the traveler. "I saw the name of your village as I
entered."
The next question posed by the villager was: "Do you know where you
want to go?" "Yes" the traveler replied.
"Then, my friend, you are not lost. You just need directions."
Many of us are in the same position as the traveler. We know where
we are - sometimes dissatisfied, disappointed and experiencing little
peace of mind. And we know where we want to be - at peace, fulfilled
and living life abundantly. Like the traveler, we are not lost - we
just need directions.
It may not take much to find the right road to success, but to reach
it we need an agenda for the present. We need directions for today.
As Abraham Lincoln put it: "Your life cannot go according to a plan
if you have no plan!"
on the wrong road, came to a halt in a village. He called one of the
villagers and said to him, "Friend, I need help. I am lost!".
The villager looked at him for a moment and asked, "Do you know
where you are?"
"Yes" said the traveler. "I saw the name of your village as I
entered."
The next question posed by the villager was: "Do you know where you
want to go?" "Yes" the traveler replied.
"Then, my friend, you are not lost. You just need directions."
Many of us are in the same position as the traveler. We know where
we are - sometimes dissatisfied, disappointed and experiencing little
peace of mind. And we know where we want to be - at peace, fulfilled
and living life abundantly. Like the traveler, we are not lost - we
just need directions.
It may not take much to find the right road to success, but to reach
it we need an agenda for the present. We need directions for today.
As Abraham Lincoln put it: "Your life cannot go according to a plan
if you have no plan!"
step up and do it!!
As you know, there are two types of people in this world, talkers
and doers. And there are two things that separate the two. One,
is obviously taking action. In order to be a doer and get the
results you desire in life, you must take action. There is no way
around that.
However, did you know there are lots of talkers who do take action,
but never get the results they say they want? They look busy, they
appear busy, they "do" things, but they never get any results. Why
is this? Why are they really talkers even though they "take
action?"
The answer is simple: they do not have the right information to
base their action on. And, when their action fails, they do the
same old thing over and over and then go talk about the lack of
results.
The true doer "calibrates" when he or she takes action and doesn't
get the results they desire. They look at what they did, they find
out where they lack knowledge, then they go out and get that
knowledge. Then, and only then, do they take action again, this
time a different action. And they continue to go through this
cycle of taking action and acquiring information until they get the
results they desire. Sometimes this takes a long, long time and
the price is high. But the outcome is ALWAYS the same in the
end--the doer gets the results he desires.
and doers. And there are two things that separate the two. One,
is obviously taking action. In order to be a doer and get the
results you desire in life, you must take action. There is no way
around that.
However, did you know there are lots of talkers who do take action,
but never get the results they say they want? They look busy, they
appear busy, they "do" things, but they never get any results. Why
is this? Why are they really talkers even though they "take
action?"
The answer is simple: they do not have the right information to
base their action on. And, when their action fails, they do the
same old thing over and over and then go talk about the lack of
results.
The true doer "calibrates" when he or she takes action and doesn't
get the results they desire. They look at what they did, they find
out where they lack knowledge, then they go out and get that
knowledge. Then, and only then, do they take action again, this
time a different action. And they continue to go through this
cycle of taking action and acquiring information until they get the
results they desire. Sometimes this takes a long, long time and
the price is high. But the outcome is ALWAYS the same in the
end--the doer gets the results he desires.
Monday, October 20, 2008
A nice article from Swami Vivekananda....
I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me.
Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this:
"You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love."
This was how I saw it:
As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it, it will spill through the first cracks it find,This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love...they try to posses it, they demand, they expect... and just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free, you cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings .
Give and don't expect.
Advise, but don't order.
Ask, but never demand.
It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice. It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring." Passing thought...
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the moments that take our breath away..... :)
Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this:
"You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love."
This was how I saw it:
As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it, it will spill through the first cracks it find,This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love...they try to posses it, they demand, they expect... and just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free, you cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings .
Give and don't expect.
Advise, but don't order.
Ask, but never demand.
It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice. It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring." Passing thought...
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the moments that take our breath away..... :)
Monday, October 13, 2008
TRULY INSPIRING!
Love Story of Narayana Murthy And Sudha (From Sudha’s Autobiography)
It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my friend Prasanna who is now the Wipro chief, who was also training in Telco. Most of the books that Prasanna lent me had Murty’s name on them which meant that I had a preconceived image of the man. Contrary to expectation, Murty was shy,bespectacled and an introvert. When he invited us for dinner. I was a bit taken aback as I thought the young man was making a very fast move. I refused since I was the only girl in the group. But Murty was relentless and we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 p.m. at Green Fields hotel on the Main Road,Pune.
The next day I went there at 7′ o clock since I had to go to the tailor near the hotel. And what do I see? Mr. Murty waiting in front of the hotel and it was only seven. Till today, Murty maintains that I had mentioned (consciously!) that I would be going to the tailor at 7 so that I could meet him…And I maintain that I did not say any such thing consciously or unconsciously because I did not think of Murty as anything other than a friend at that stage. We have agreed to disagree on this matter.
Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled with Murty’s experiences abroad and the books that he has read. My friends insisted that Murty was trying to impress me because he was interested in me. I kept denying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said, I want to tell you something. I knew this was it. It was coming. He said, I am 5′4″ tall. I come from a lower middle class family. I can never become rich in my life and I can never give you any riches. You are beautiful, bright, and intelligent and you can get anyone you want. But will you marry me? I asked Murty to give me some time for an answer. My father didn’t want me to marry a wannabe politician,(a communist at that) who didn’t have a steady job and wanted to build an orphanage…
When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and his proposal. My mother was positive since Murty was also from Karnataka, seemed intelligent and comes from a good family. But my father asked: What’s his job, his salary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working as a research assistant and was earning less than me. He was willing to go dutch with me on our outings. My parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a particular day at10 a. m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I trust a man to take care of my daughter if he cannot keep an appointment, asked my father.
At 12noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He had gone on work to Bombay, was stuck in a traffic jam on the ghats, so he hired a taxi(though it was very expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law. Father was unimpressed. My father asked him what he wanted to become in life. Murty said he wanted to become a politician in the communist party and wanted to open an orphanage. My father gave his verdict. NO. I don’t want my daughter to marry somebody who wants to become a communist and then open an orphanage when he himself didn’t have money to support his family. Ironically, today, I have opened many orphanages something, which Murty wanted to do 25 years ago. By this time I realized I had developed a liking towards Murty which could only be termed as love. I wanted to marry Murty because he is an honest man. He proposed to me highlighting the negatives in his life. I promised my father that I will not marry Murty without his blessings though at the same time, I cannot marry anybody else. My father said he would agree if Murty promised to take up a steady job. But Murty refused saying he will not do things in life because somebody wanted him to. So, I was caught between the two most important people in my life.
The stalemate continued for three years during which our courtship took us to every restaurant and cinema hall in Pune. In those days, Murty was always broke. Moreover, he didn’t earn much to manage. Ironically today, he manages Infosys Technologies Ltd., one of the world’s most reputed companies. He always owed me money. We used to go for dinner and he would say, I don’t have money with me, you pay my share, I will return it to you later. For three years I maintained a book on Murty’s debt to me. No, he never returned the money and I finally tore it up after my wedding. The amount was a little over Rs 4000. During this interim period Murty quit his job as research assistant and started his own software business. Now, I had to pay his salary too! Towards the late 70s computers were entering India in a big way.
During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a job as General Manager at Patni Computers in Bombay. But before he joined the company he wanted to marry me since he was to go on training to the US after joining. My father gave in as he was happy Murty had a decent job, now.
WE WERE MARRIED IN MURTY’S HOUSE IN BANGALORE ON FEBRUARY 10, 1978 WITH ONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT.I GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDING EXPENSES CAME TO ONLY RS 800 (US $17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS 400 EACH.
I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty encouraged me to see America on my own because I loved travelling. I toured America for three months on backpack and had interesting experiences which will remain freshin my mind forever. Like the time when the New York police took me into custody because they thought I was an Italian trafficking drugs in Harlem. Or the time when I spent the night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon with an old couple. Murty panicked because he couldn’t get a response from my hotel room even at midnight. He thought I was either killed or kidnapped.
IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZERO CAPITAL…initially I was very apprehensive about Murty getting into business. We did not have any business background. Moreover we were living a comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check and I didn’t want to rock the boat. But Murty was passionate about creating good quality software. I decided to support him.
Typical of Murty, he just had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved for a rainy day, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I have. Take it. I give you three years sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial needs of our house. You go and chase your dreams without any worry. But you have only three years!
Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981,with enormous interest and hard work. In 1982 I left Telco and moved to Pune with Murty. We bought a small house on loan which also became the Infosys office. I was a clerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer. I also took up a job as Senior Systems Analyst with Walchand group of Industries to support the house. In 1983 Infosys got their first client, MICO, in Bangalore. Murty moved to Bangalore and stayed with his mother while I went to Hubli to deliver my second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son was born, Murty left for the US on project work. I saw him only after a year, as I was unable to join Murty in the US because my son had infantile eczema, an allergy to vaccinations. So for more than a year I did not step outside our home for fear of my son contracting an infection. It was only after Rohan got all his vaccinations that I came to Bangalore where we rented a small house in Jayanagar and rented another house as Infosys headquarters.
My father presented Murty a scooter to commute. I once again became a cook, programmer, clerk, secretary, office assistant et al. Nandan Nilekani (MD of Infosys) and his wife Rohini stayed with us. While Rohini baby sat my son, I wrote programs for Infosys. There was no car, no phone, and just two kids and a bunch of us working hard, juggling our lives and having fun while Infosys was taking shape. It was not only me but also the wives of other partners too who gave their unstinted support. We all knew that our men were trying to build something good.
It was like a big joint family,taking care and looking out for one another. I still remember Sudha Gopalakrishna looking after my daughter Akshata with all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked for all of us. Murty made it very clear that it would either be me or him working at Infosys. Never the two of us together… I was involved with Infosys initially.
Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board but Murty said he did not want a husband and wife team at Infosys. I was shocked since I had the relevant experience and technical qualifications.
He said, Sudha if you want to work with Infosys, I will withdraw, happily. I was pained to know that I will not be involved in the company my husband was building and that I would have to give up a job that I am qualified to do and love doing. It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason behind Murty’s request. I realized that to make Infosys a success one had to give one’s 100 percent. One had to be focussed on it alone with no other distractions. If the two of us had to give 100 percent to Infosys then what would happen to our home and our children? One of us had to take care of our home while the other took care of Infosys.
I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was Murty’s dream. It was a big sacrificebut it was one that had to be made. Even today, Murty says, Sudha, I stepped on your career to make mine. You are responsible for my success. I might have given up my career for my husband’s sake.
But that does not make me a doormat…
Many think that I have been made the sacrificial lamb at Narayan Murty’s altar of success. A few women journalists have even accused me of setting a wrong example by giving up my dreams to make my husbands a reality. Isn’t freedom about living your life the way you want it? What is rightfor one person might be wrong for another. It is up to the individual to make a choice that is effective in her life. I feel that when a woman gives up her right to choose for herself is when she crosses over from being an individual to a doormat.
Murty’s dreams encompassed not only himself but a generation of people. It was about founding something worthy, exemplary and honorable. It was about creation and distribution of wealth. His dreams were grander than my career plans, in all aspects. So, when I had to choose between Murty’s career and mine, I opted for what I thought was a right choice. We had a home and two little children.
Measles, mumps, fractures, PTA meetings, wants and needs of growing children do not care much for grandiose dreams. They just needed to be attended to. Somebody had to take care of it all. Somebody had to stay back to create a home base that would be fertile for healthy growth, happiness, and more dreams to dream. I became that somebody willingly. I can confidently say that if I had had a dream like Infosys, Murty would have given me his unstinted support. The roles would have been reversed.
We are not bound by the archaic rules of marriage. I cook for him but I don’t wait up to serve dinner like a traditional wife. So, he has no hassles about heating up the food and having his dinner.
He does not intrude into my time especially when I am writing my novels. He does not interfere in my work at the Infosys Foundation and I don’t interfere with the running of Infosys. I teach Computer Science to MBA and MCA students at Christ college for a few hours every week and I earn around Rs 50,000 a year. I value this financial independence greatly though there is no need for me to pursue a teaching career. Murty respects that. I travel all over the world without Murty because he hates travelling. We trust each other implicitly. We have another understanding too. While he earns the money, I spend it, mostly through the charity.
Philanthropy is a profession and an art… The Infosys Foundation was born in 1997 with the sole objective of uplifting the less- privileged sections of society. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS WE HAVE BUILT HOSPITALS, ORPHANAGES, REHABILITATION CENTRES, SCHOOL BUILDINGS, SCIENCE CENTRES AND MORETHAN 3500 LIBRARIES. Our work is mainly in the rural areas amongst women and children. I am one of the trustees and our activities span six states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Orissa, Chandigarh and Maharashtra.I travel to around 800 villages constantly. Infosys Foundation has a minimal staff of three trustees and three office members. We all work very hard to achieve our goals and that is the reason why Infosys Foundation has a distinct identity. Every year we donate around Rs 5-6 crore (Rs 50 - 60 million). We run Infosys Foundation the way Murty runs Infosys in a professional and scientific way.
Philanthropy is a profession and an art. It can be used or misused. We slowly want to increase the donations and we dream of a time when Infosys Foundation could donate large amounts of money. Every year we receive more than 10,000 applications for donations. Everyday I receive more than 120 calls. Amongst these, there are those who genuinely need help and there are hood winkers too. I receive letters asking me to donate Rs five lakh to someone because five lakh is, like peanuts to Infosys.
Some people write to us asking for free Infosys shares. Over the years I have learnt to differentiate the wheat from the chaff, though I still give a patient hearing to all the cases. Sometimes I feel I have lost the ability to trust people. I have become shrewder to avoid being conned.
It saddens me to realize that even as a person is talking to me I try to analyze them: Has he come here for any donation? Why is he praising my work or enquiring about my health, does he want some money from me? Eight out of ten times I am right. They do want my money. But I feel bad for the other two whom I suspected. I think that is the price that I have to pay for the position that I am in now.
The greatest difficulty in having money is teaching your children the value of it and trying to keep them on a straight line…. Bringing up children n a moneyed atmosphere is a difficult task.
EVEN TODAY I THINK TWICE IF I HAVE TO SPEND RS 10 ON AN AUTO WHEN I CAN WALK UP TO MY HOUSE. I cannot expect my children to do the same. They have seen money from the time they were born. But we can lead by example. When they see Murty wash his own plate after eating and clean the two toilets in the house everyday they realize that no work is demeaning irrespective of how rich you are. I DON’T HAVE A MAID AT HOME BECAUSE I DON’T SEE THE NEED FOR ONE.
When children see both parents working hard, living a simple life, most of the time they tend to follow. This doesn’t mean we expect our children to live an austere life. My children buy what they want and go where they want but they have to follow certain rules. They will have to show me a bill for whatever they buy. My daughter can buy five new outfits but she has to give away five old ones. My son can go out with his friends for lunch or dinner but if he wants to go to a five star hotel, we discourage it. Or we accompany him. So far my children haven’t given me any heartbreak. They are good children.
My eldest daughter is studying abroad, whereas my son is studying in Bangalore. They don’t use their father’s name in vain. If asked, they only say that his name is Murty and that he works for Infosys. They don’t want to be recognized and appreciated because of their father or me but for themselves. I DON’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT HAVING MONEY FOR WE HAVE WORKED HARD FOR IT. BUT I DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE FLAUNTING IT…IT IS A CONSCIOUS DECISION ON OUR PART TO LIVE A SIMPLE, SO-CALLED MIDDLE CLASS LIFE.WE LIVE IN THE SAME TWO- BEDROOM, PARSELY FURNISHED HOUSE BEFORE INFOSYS BECAME A SUCCESS. Our only extravagance is buying books and CDs. MY HOUSE HAS NO LOCKERS FOR I HAVE NO JEWELS. I WEAR A STONE EARRING WHICH I BOUGHT IN BOMBAY FOR RS 100. I don’t even wear my mangalsutra until I attend some family functions or I am with my mother-in-law. I am not fond of jewellery or saris.
Five years ago, I went to Kashi where tradition demands that you give up something and I gave up shopping. Since then I haven’t bought myself a sari or gone shopping. It is my friends who gift me with saris. Murty bought me a sari a long time ago. It was not to my taste and I told him to refrain from buying saris for me in the future. I am no good at selecting men’s clothes either. It is my daughter who does the shopping for us.
I still have the same sofa at home which my daughter wants to change. However, we have indulged ourselves with each one having their own music system and computer. I don’t carry a purse and neither does Murty most of the time. I do tell him to keep some small change with him but he doesn’t. I borrow money from my secretary or my driver if I need cash. They know my habit so they always carry extra cash with them. But I settle the accounts every evening. MURTY AND I ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH OUR LIFESTYLE AND WE DON’T SEE THE NEED TO CHANGE IT.
NOW THAT WE HAVE MONEY. Murty and I are two opposites that complement each other… Murty is sensitive and romantic in his own way. He always gifts me books addressed to >From Me to You. Or to the person I most admire etc. We both love books. We are both complete opposites. I am an extrovert and he is an introvert. I love watching movies and listening to classical music. Murty loves listening to English classical music. I go out for movies with my students and secretary every other week. I am still young at heart. I really enjoyed watching “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” and I am a Hrithik Roshan fan. It has been more than 20 years since Murty and I went for a movie.
My daughter once gave us a surprise by booking tickets for “Titanic”. Since I had a prior engagement that day, Murty went for the movie with his secretary Pandu. I love travelling whereas Murty loves spending time at home. Friends come and go with the share prices… Even in my dreams, I did not expect Infosys to grow like the way it has. I don’t think even Murty envisioned this phenomenal success, at least not in 1981. After Infosys went public in 1993, we became what people would call as rich, moneyed people. I was shocked to see what was happening to Infosys and to us. Suddenly you see and hear about so much money. Your name and photo is splashed in the papers. People talk about you. It was all new to me. SUDDENLY I HAVE PEOPLE WALKING UP TO ME SAYING, OH, WE WERE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS, WE HAD A MEAL 25 YEARS AGO.
THEY CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT OUR WEDDING (WHICH IS AN UTTER LIE BECAUSE ONLY MY FAMILY WAS PRESENT AT MY WEDDING). I DON’T EVEN KNOW ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO KNOW MURTY AND ME SO WELL. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have true friends. I do have genuine friends, a handful,who have been with me for a very long time. My equation with these people has not changed and vices versa. I am ALSO VERY CLOSE TO NARAYAN MURTY’S family, especially my sister-in-law KAMALA MURTY, a SCHOOLTEACHER, who is more of a dear friend to me. I have discovered that these are the few relationships and friendships that don’t fluctuate depending on the price of Infosys shares. Have I lost my identity as a woman, in Murty’s shadow? No. I might be Mrs. Narayan Murty. I might be Akshata and Rohan’s mother.
I might be the trustee of Infosys Foundation. But I am still Sudha. I play different roles like all women. That doesn’t mean we don’t have our own identity. Women have that extra quality of adaptability and learn to fit into different shoes. But we are our own selves still. And we have to exact our freedom by making the right choices in our lives, dictated by us and not by the world.
It was in Pune that I met Narayan Murty through my friend Prasanna who is now the Wipro chief, who was also training in Telco. Most of the books that Prasanna lent me had Murty’s name on them which meant that I had a preconceived image of the man. Contrary to expectation, Murty was shy,bespectacled and an introvert. When he invited us for dinner. I was a bit taken aback as I thought the young man was making a very fast move. I refused since I was the only girl in the group. But Murty was relentless and we all decided to meet for dinner the next day at 7.30 p.m. at Green Fields hotel on the Main Road,Pune.
The next day I went there at 7′ o clock since I had to go to the tailor near the hotel. And what do I see? Mr. Murty waiting in front of the hotel and it was only seven. Till today, Murty maintains that I had mentioned (consciously!) that I would be going to the tailor at 7 so that I could meet him…And I maintain that I did not say any such thing consciously or unconsciously because I did not think of Murty as anything other than a friend at that stage. We have agreed to disagree on this matter.
Soon, we became friends. Our conversations were filled with Murty’s experiences abroad and the books that he has read. My friends insisted that Murty was trying to impress me because he was interested in me. I kept denying it till one fine day, after dinner Murty said, I want to tell you something. I knew this was it. It was coming. He said, I am 5′4″ tall. I come from a lower middle class family. I can never become rich in my life and I can never give you any riches. You are beautiful, bright, and intelligent and you can get anyone you want. But will you marry me? I asked Murty to give me some time for an answer. My father didn’t want me to marry a wannabe politician,(a communist at that) who didn’t have a steady job and wanted to build an orphanage…
When I went to Hubli I told my parents about Murty and his proposal. My mother was positive since Murty was also from Karnataka, seemed intelligent and comes from a good family. But my father asked: What’s his job, his salary, his qualifications etc? Murty was working as a research assistant and was earning less than me. He was willing to go dutch with me on our outings. My parents agreed to meet Murty in Pune on a particular day at10 a. m sharp. Murty did not turn up. How can I trust a man to take care of my daughter if he cannot keep an appointment, asked my father.
At 12noon Murty turned up in a bright red shirt! He had gone on work to Bombay, was stuck in a traffic jam on the ghats, so he hired a taxi(though it was very expensive for him) to meet his would-be father-in-law. Father was unimpressed. My father asked him what he wanted to become in life. Murty said he wanted to become a politician in the communist party and wanted to open an orphanage. My father gave his verdict. NO. I don’t want my daughter to marry somebody who wants to become a communist and then open an orphanage when he himself didn’t have money to support his family. Ironically, today, I have opened many orphanages something, which Murty wanted to do 25 years ago. By this time I realized I had developed a liking towards Murty which could only be termed as love. I wanted to marry Murty because he is an honest man. He proposed to me highlighting the negatives in his life. I promised my father that I will not marry Murty without his blessings though at the same time, I cannot marry anybody else. My father said he would agree if Murty promised to take up a steady job. But Murty refused saying he will not do things in life because somebody wanted him to. So, I was caught between the two most important people in my life.
The stalemate continued for three years during which our courtship took us to every restaurant and cinema hall in Pune. In those days, Murty was always broke. Moreover, he didn’t earn much to manage. Ironically today, he manages Infosys Technologies Ltd., one of the world’s most reputed companies. He always owed me money. We used to go for dinner and he would say, I don’t have money with me, you pay my share, I will return it to you later. For three years I maintained a book on Murty’s debt to me. No, he never returned the money and I finally tore it up after my wedding. The amount was a little over Rs 4000. During this interim period Murty quit his job as research assistant and started his own software business. Now, I had to pay his salary too! Towards the late 70s computers were entering India in a big way.
During the fag end of 1977 Murty decided to take up a job as General Manager at Patni Computers in Bombay. But before he joined the company he wanted to marry me since he was to go on training to the US after joining. My father gave in as he was happy Murty had a decent job, now.
WE WERE MARRIED IN MURTY’S HOUSE IN BANGALORE ON FEBRUARY 10, 1978 WITH ONLY OUR TWO FAMILIES PRESENT.I GOT MY FIRST SILK SARI. THE WEDDING EXPENSES CAME TO ONLY RS 800 (US $17) WITH MURTY AND I POOLING IN RS 400 EACH.
I went to the US with Murty after marriage. Murty encouraged me to see America on my own because I loved travelling. I toured America for three months on backpack and had interesting experiences which will remain freshin my mind forever. Like the time when the New York police took me into custody because they thought I was an Italian trafficking drugs in Harlem. Or the time when I spent the night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon with an old couple. Murty panicked because he couldn’t get a response from my hotel room even at midnight. He thought I was either killed or kidnapped.
IN 1981 MURTY WANTED TO START INFOSYS. HE HAD A VISION AND ZERO CAPITAL…initially I was very apprehensive about Murty getting into business. We did not have any business background. Moreover we were living a comfortable life in Bombay with a regular pay check and I didn’t want to rock the boat. But Murty was passionate about creating good quality software. I decided to support him.
Typical of Murty, he just had a dream and no money. So I gave him Rs 10,000 which I had saved for a rainy day, without his knowledge and told him, This is all I have. Take it. I give you three years sabbatical leave. I will take care of the financial needs of our house. You go and chase your dreams without any worry. But you have only three years!
Murty and his six colleagues started Infosys in 1981,with enormous interest and hard work. In 1982 I left Telco and moved to Pune with Murty. We bought a small house on loan which also became the Infosys office. I was a clerk-cum-cook-cum-programmer. I also took up a job as Senior Systems Analyst with Walchand group of Industries to support the house. In 1983 Infosys got their first client, MICO, in Bangalore. Murty moved to Bangalore and stayed with his mother while I went to Hubli to deliver my second child, Rohan. Ten days after my son was born, Murty left for the US on project work. I saw him only after a year, as I was unable to join Murty in the US because my son had infantile eczema, an allergy to vaccinations. So for more than a year I did not step outside our home for fear of my son contracting an infection. It was only after Rohan got all his vaccinations that I came to Bangalore where we rented a small house in Jayanagar and rented another house as Infosys headquarters.
My father presented Murty a scooter to commute. I once again became a cook, programmer, clerk, secretary, office assistant et al. Nandan Nilekani (MD of Infosys) and his wife Rohini stayed with us. While Rohini baby sat my son, I wrote programs for Infosys. There was no car, no phone, and just two kids and a bunch of us working hard, juggling our lives and having fun while Infosys was taking shape. It was not only me but also the wives of other partners too who gave their unstinted support. We all knew that our men were trying to build something good.
It was like a big joint family,taking care and looking out for one another. I still remember Sudha Gopalakrishna looking after my daughter Akshata with all care and love while Kumari Shibulal cooked for all of us. Murty made it very clear that it would either be me or him working at Infosys. Never the two of us together… I was involved with Infosys initially.
Nandan Nilekani suggested I should be on the Board but Murty said he did not want a husband and wife team at Infosys. I was shocked since I had the relevant experience and technical qualifications.
He said, Sudha if you want to work with Infosys, I will withdraw, happily. I was pained to know that I will not be involved in the company my husband was building and that I would have to give up a job that I am qualified to do and love doing. It took me a couple of days to grasp the reason behind Murty’s request. I realized that to make Infosys a success one had to give one’s 100 percent. One had to be focussed on it alone with no other distractions. If the two of us had to give 100 percent to Infosys then what would happen to our home and our children? One of us had to take care of our home while the other took care of Infosys.
I opted to be a homemaker, after all Infosys was Murty’s dream. It was a big sacrificebut it was one that had to be made. Even today, Murty says, Sudha, I stepped on your career to make mine. You are responsible for my success. I might have given up my career for my husband’s sake.
But that does not make me a doormat…
Many think that I have been made the sacrificial lamb at Narayan Murty’s altar of success. A few women journalists have even accused me of setting a wrong example by giving up my dreams to make my husbands a reality. Isn’t freedom about living your life the way you want it? What is rightfor one person might be wrong for another. It is up to the individual to make a choice that is effective in her life. I feel that when a woman gives up her right to choose for herself is when she crosses over from being an individual to a doormat.
Murty’s dreams encompassed not only himself but a generation of people. It was about founding something worthy, exemplary and honorable. It was about creation and distribution of wealth. His dreams were grander than my career plans, in all aspects. So, when I had to choose between Murty’s career and mine, I opted for what I thought was a right choice. We had a home and two little children.
Measles, mumps, fractures, PTA meetings, wants and needs of growing children do not care much for grandiose dreams. They just needed to be attended to. Somebody had to take care of it all. Somebody had to stay back to create a home base that would be fertile for healthy growth, happiness, and more dreams to dream. I became that somebody willingly. I can confidently say that if I had had a dream like Infosys, Murty would have given me his unstinted support. The roles would have been reversed.
We are not bound by the archaic rules of marriage. I cook for him but I don’t wait up to serve dinner like a traditional wife. So, he has no hassles about heating up the food and having his dinner.
He does not intrude into my time especially when I am writing my novels. He does not interfere in my work at the Infosys Foundation and I don’t interfere with the running of Infosys. I teach Computer Science to MBA and MCA students at Christ college for a few hours every week and I earn around Rs 50,000 a year. I value this financial independence greatly though there is no need for me to pursue a teaching career. Murty respects that. I travel all over the world without Murty because he hates travelling. We trust each other implicitly. We have another understanding too. While he earns the money, I spend it, mostly through the charity.
Philanthropy is a profession and an art… The Infosys Foundation was born in 1997 with the sole objective of uplifting the less- privileged sections of society. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS WE HAVE BUILT HOSPITALS, ORPHANAGES, REHABILITATION CENTRES, SCHOOL BUILDINGS, SCIENCE CENTRES AND MORETHAN 3500 LIBRARIES. Our work is mainly in the rural areas amongst women and children. I am one of the trustees and our activities span six states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Orissa, Chandigarh and Maharashtra.I travel to around 800 villages constantly. Infosys Foundation has a minimal staff of three trustees and three office members. We all work very hard to achieve our goals and that is the reason why Infosys Foundation has a distinct identity. Every year we donate around Rs 5-6 crore (Rs 50 - 60 million). We run Infosys Foundation the way Murty runs Infosys in a professional and scientific way.
Philanthropy is a profession and an art. It can be used or misused. We slowly want to increase the donations and we dream of a time when Infosys Foundation could donate large amounts of money. Every year we receive more than 10,000 applications for donations. Everyday I receive more than 120 calls. Amongst these, there are those who genuinely need help and there are hood winkers too. I receive letters asking me to donate Rs five lakh to someone because five lakh is, like peanuts to Infosys.
Some people write to us asking for free Infosys shares. Over the years I have learnt to differentiate the wheat from the chaff, though I still give a patient hearing to all the cases. Sometimes I feel I have lost the ability to trust people. I have become shrewder to avoid being conned.
It saddens me to realize that even as a person is talking to me I try to analyze them: Has he come here for any donation? Why is he praising my work or enquiring about my health, does he want some money from me? Eight out of ten times I am right. They do want my money. But I feel bad for the other two whom I suspected. I think that is the price that I have to pay for the position that I am in now.
The greatest difficulty in having money is teaching your children the value of it and trying to keep them on a straight line…. Bringing up children n a moneyed atmosphere is a difficult task.
EVEN TODAY I THINK TWICE IF I HAVE TO SPEND RS 10 ON AN AUTO WHEN I CAN WALK UP TO MY HOUSE. I cannot expect my children to do the same. They have seen money from the time they were born. But we can lead by example. When they see Murty wash his own plate after eating and clean the two toilets in the house everyday they realize that no work is demeaning irrespective of how rich you are. I DON’T HAVE A MAID AT HOME BECAUSE I DON’T SEE THE NEED FOR ONE.
When children see both parents working hard, living a simple life, most of the time they tend to follow. This doesn’t mean we expect our children to live an austere life. My children buy what they want and go where they want but they have to follow certain rules. They will have to show me a bill for whatever they buy. My daughter can buy five new outfits but she has to give away five old ones. My son can go out with his friends for lunch or dinner but if he wants to go to a five star hotel, we discourage it. Or we accompany him. So far my children haven’t given me any heartbreak. They are good children.
My eldest daughter is studying abroad, whereas my son is studying in Bangalore. They don’t use their father’s name in vain. If asked, they only say that his name is Murty and that he works for Infosys. They don’t want to be recognized and appreciated because of their father or me but for themselves. I DON’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT HAVING MONEY FOR WE HAVE WORKED HARD FOR IT. BUT I DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE FLAUNTING IT…IT IS A CONSCIOUS DECISION ON OUR PART TO LIVE A SIMPLE, SO-CALLED MIDDLE CLASS LIFE.WE LIVE IN THE SAME TWO- BEDROOM, PARSELY FURNISHED HOUSE BEFORE INFOSYS BECAME A SUCCESS. Our only extravagance is buying books and CDs. MY HOUSE HAS NO LOCKERS FOR I HAVE NO JEWELS. I WEAR A STONE EARRING WHICH I BOUGHT IN BOMBAY FOR RS 100. I don’t even wear my mangalsutra until I attend some family functions or I am with my mother-in-law. I am not fond of jewellery or saris.
Five years ago, I went to Kashi where tradition demands that you give up something and I gave up shopping. Since then I haven’t bought myself a sari or gone shopping. It is my friends who gift me with saris. Murty bought me a sari a long time ago. It was not to my taste and I told him to refrain from buying saris for me in the future. I am no good at selecting men’s clothes either. It is my daughter who does the shopping for us.
I still have the same sofa at home which my daughter wants to change. However, we have indulged ourselves with each one having their own music system and computer. I don’t carry a purse and neither does Murty most of the time. I do tell him to keep some small change with him but he doesn’t. I borrow money from my secretary or my driver if I need cash. They know my habit so they always carry extra cash with them. But I settle the accounts every evening. MURTY AND I ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH OUR LIFESTYLE AND WE DON’T SEE THE NEED TO CHANGE IT.
NOW THAT WE HAVE MONEY. Murty and I are two opposites that complement each other… Murty is sensitive and romantic in his own way. He always gifts me books addressed to >From Me to You. Or to the person I most admire etc. We both love books. We are both complete opposites. I am an extrovert and he is an introvert. I love watching movies and listening to classical music. Murty loves listening to English classical music. I go out for movies with my students and secretary every other week. I am still young at heart. I really enjoyed watching “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” and I am a Hrithik Roshan fan. It has been more than 20 years since Murty and I went for a movie.
My daughter once gave us a surprise by booking tickets for “Titanic”. Since I had a prior engagement that day, Murty went for the movie with his secretary Pandu. I love travelling whereas Murty loves spending time at home. Friends come and go with the share prices… Even in my dreams, I did not expect Infosys to grow like the way it has. I don’t think even Murty envisioned this phenomenal success, at least not in 1981. After Infosys went public in 1993, we became what people would call as rich, moneyed people. I was shocked to see what was happening to Infosys and to us. Suddenly you see and hear about so much money. Your name and photo is splashed in the papers. People talk about you. It was all new to me. SUDDENLY I HAVE PEOPLE WALKING UP TO ME SAYING, OH, WE WERE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS, WE HAD A MEAL 25 YEARS AGO.
THEY CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT OUR WEDDING (WHICH IS AN UTTER LIE BECAUSE ONLY MY FAMILY WAS PRESENT AT MY WEDDING). I DON’T EVEN KNOW ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO KNOW MURTY AND ME SO WELL. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have true friends. I do have genuine friends, a handful,who have been with me for a very long time. My equation with these people has not changed and vices versa. I am ALSO VERY CLOSE TO NARAYAN MURTY’S family, especially my sister-in-law KAMALA MURTY, a SCHOOLTEACHER, who is more of a dear friend to me. I have discovered that these are the few relationships and friendships that don’t fluctuate depending on the price of Infosys shares. Have I lost my identity as a woman, in Murty’s shadow? No. I might be Mrs. Narayan Murty. I might be Akshata and Rohan’s mother.
I might be the trustee of Infosys Foundation. But I am still Sudha. I play different roles like all women. That doesn’t mean we don’t have our own identity. Women have that extra quality of adaptability and learn to fit into different shoes. But we are our own selves still. And we have to exact our freedom by making the right choices in our lives, dictated by us and not by the world.
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