Feel bad that I invited my mother to visit Infosys only when she was dying: Narayana Murthy

Ahmedabad, April 2 : Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy on Sunday said he feels bad that he invited his mother to visit Infosys only when she was dying.

He said this after launching a biography on the life and times of Madan Mohanka, an entrepreneur and Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) alumni.

The book, titled: “I Did What I Had To Do”, was authored by Anjana Dutt, an advertising professional, and details Mohanka’s rise to success and the belief systems that paved the way for his meteoric journey. The event took place in Ahmedabad.

In his speech, Murthy praised Mohanka’s story, saying that it provides valuable insights and inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as business leaders.

He said, “A man who believes in action, his biography is aptly titled ‘I Did What I Had To Do’ and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his life, his business acumen and his dedication to education for the disadvantaged.”

When asked about his own leadership journey, Murthy credited Mahatma Gandhi as his inspiration, saying, “He believed that whenever you take a decision, think of the poor people who will get affected by that decision.”

He then went on to speak about his experience in building Infosys, a global leader in consulting and IT services, in the 1990s. He described how he used to take only 1/10th of his salary and give 20 per cent extra to his junior colleagues, leading by example and instilling a sense of responsibility among his team.

Murthy stressed the importance of humility, saying, “There were people smarter than me in my college and later in my industry, but humility is something that helped me soar in my career. Always have your feet on the ground.”

Murthy also shared one thing he feels bad about, “I feel bad that I invited my mother to visit Infosys only when she was dying. I was so busy building Infosys.”

Murthy also shared his thoughts on the importance of faculty members understanding industry happenings, stating that management is all about utilising resources to achieve a certain objective. “Faculty members can also help CEOs in building a better company,” he said.

Mohanka, born in 1943, is an octogenarian who has witnessed post-liberalisation India and has contributed significantly to the country’s growth as a financial capital of the world.

The book, based on extensive interviews with Mohanka and his family, friends, classmates, and colleagues, provides insights into his early life, the impact of his learnings at IIM-A, his entrepreneurial genius, his decision-making abilities in times of crisis, and the value systems that helped him overcome the challenges he faced along the way.