Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy, also known as N. R. Narayan Murthy, is no less than a modern-day hero for the tech industry in India. Due to his unparalleled devotion to his work and nation, he is considered the ‘father of the Indian IT sector’. As of 2024, Narayana Murthy net worth is around USD 5.2 Billion, making him the 62nd wealthiest man in the country in the Forbes list.
Murthy established Infosys, a leading IT firm, 1981 with limited resources. Narayan Murthy wife, Sudha Murthy, supported him in every step of his struggles. With her consistent support and Murthy’s leadership, Infosys reached great heights, establishing India as one of the global technological leaders.
In this blog, you will read more about who Narayana Murthy is, the role of his wife in building Infosys, and his business philosophy.
Narayana Murthy Net Worth
As a self-made entrepreneur, Narayana Muurthy’s path has not been easy. Let us learn more about Narayan Murthy net worth during Infosys in detail:
Narayana Murthy Net Worth During Infosys Success and Financial Impact
Narayana Murthy started Infosys with six software engineer friends and a capital investment of around INR 10,000 in 1981. Infosys was ahead of its time from its inception as India was still developing, and the IT industry was new. Murthy saw the economic liberalisation of the 1990s as a new opportunity for growth. Under his leadership, Infosys expanded beyond Indian borders, giving consultation and software development services worldwide. In 1999, Murthy made history as Infosys became the first Indian firm listed on the American Stock Exchange-NASDAQ.
In 2004, Infosys procured a whopping 33% increase in annual revenue, amounting to INR 89.83 Crores. The company saw significant growth in 2010 when Narayan Murthy net worth crossed USD 5 Billion in revenue. In the last ten years, Infosys has become a global tech giant with a significant growth curve in terms of revenue. It saw a significant dip in revenue 2020 at USD 1.9B but revived itself to USD 3.5B in 2021. As per Forbes, Narayan Murthy net worth is INR 440,620,180,000 (USD 5.2 Billion) in the year 2024.
Narayana Murthy Net Worth – Investments Beyond Infosys
Infosys is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Narayana Murthy’s entrepreneurial ventures. As Infosys grew, Murthy turned to venture capitalism and became an angel investor for many startups in India. He also served as a board member in major ventures like HSBC, DBS Bank, Unilever, ICICI, and NDTV.
In 2009, he started Catamaran Ventures LLP, a venture capital firm that supports and grows young start-ups during their early stages. The firm has holdings in several companies, including Reddit, e-sports, SpaceX, The Print, Acko, and more. His firm has partnered with e-commerce giants like Amazon.com to form Cloudtail India. He has also invested INR 44.43 crores with a 20% stake in Germany-based UVC Partners to support its research in the Deep Tech and Artificial intelligence sector.
The Role of Family in Murthy’s Success
Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy tied the knot in 1978 after struggling for the approval of their families for years. Let us discuss his family’s contributions to increasing Narayana Murthy net worth in detail:
Sudha Murthy’s Influence On Narayana Murthy’s Net Worth Creation
Narayan Murthy’s wife, Sudha Murthy, stood like a pillar during his struggling days. At the initial stage of Infosys, she gave up all her savings of Rs 10,000 from her engineering job at Tata Industries to support her husband in building his business. Her selfless acts and sacrifices were key to building the IT firm and her husband’s wealth creation. As a co-founder of the Infosys Foundation, she makes equal contributions to the country’s welfare.
Sudha Murthy’s achievements complement her husband’s success. She is a member of the Rajya Sabha, an author, engineer, and philanthropist. Sudha added strength to their marital and financial partnership. She brought emotional stability, intellectual support, and a shared commitment to social responsibility. Together, they maintained a perfect balance that allowed Narayana Murthy to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams.
His Children’s Involvement in Business
Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy have two children who have worked forward with their parents’ life and business philosophy. Akshata Murty, the elder daughter of the Muthy family, is a multifaceted professional. Her roles include venture capitalism, businesswoman, and fashion designer. Her marriage to Rishi Sunak, former UK Prime Minister, positioned her as an imminent personality of global politics and business. Akshata owns a 0.93% stake in Infosys.
Rohan Murty, the son of the Murthy family and an only sibling of Akshata Murty, is a Cambridge graduate and a Harvard fellow. After learning from his father, he has worked independently in the technical sector. Rohan left Infosys to build Soroco, a firm using artificial intelligence to create a work graph. By establishing the Murty Classical Library of India, he aims to preserve and digitise Indian cultural heritage.
Murthy’s Philanthropic Legacy
Philanthropy remained central to Murthy’s life philosophy. Sudha Murthy mentioned in one of the interviews that Narayana Murthy aspired to be a politician in a communist party to open an orphanage. Later, despite becoming a tech leader, he continued giving back to the society through other means:
- The Infosys Foundation: Established by Murthy and his wife in 1996, became a powerful vehicle for social change. They run several schools, hospitals, mobile clinics, and rural development centres. The Foundation provides aid to victims and communities affected by natural calamities.
- Quality Education: Narayan Murthy has contributed to improving educational infrastructure in rural areas. He has helped several students from economically weaker backgrounds by providing them with scholarships. Further, Murthy supports several research programmes and collaborates with NGOs to work for quality education.
- Rural Development: He has equipped the rural population with powerful growth tools by implementing skill development programs and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.
- Heritage Preservation: Using innovation as a tool for social change, he has funded many libraries and museums to preserve India’s heritage. Murthy and his wife are often in the news for supporting and giving financial aid to local artisans and art researchers to promote our cultural history worldwide.
Education and Early Career
N. R. Narayana Murthy was born to a Brahmin middle-class family in the small town of Sidlaghatta in Karnataka on August 20, 1946. He completed his schooling at Sharada Vilasa Boys High School, Mysore. Murthy was a bright kid with a keen interest in mathematics and science. His seniors often sought his help to solve tough calculations.
Narayana Murthy’s father was a schoolteacher and encouraged him to excel in his studies. Like many, he prepared for the IIT entrance exam and passed it. However, due to his father’s low income, he had to stay back at Mysore.
Academic Achievements
Narayana Murthy graduated from the National Institute of Engineering (NIE), University of Mysore, in 1967 with a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Electrical Engineering. He then joined the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK), in 1969 to earn an M.Tech degree in Computer Science. His education and technical background equipped him with problem-solving skills that helped him build a global technology company.
Career Start and Founding Infosys
At the beginning of his career, Narayana Murthy became a research associate at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA). After a few years, IIMA’s computer Centre received India’s first time-sharing computing system. Murthy started working under Prof. J. Krishnayya as a Chief Systems Programmer. His interest in this field grew when he founded a company, Softronics. He started working for Patni Computer Systems in Pune when this idea failed.
In 1981, it was in Pune that the entrepreneurial idea of Infosys came to life. He founded this company with the help of his six engineer friends. But money was a significant issue. Fortunately, Murthy’s wife, Sudha Murthy, donated her savings of around Rs. 10,000 (USD 250) to the company as an initial fund. He consistently worked for over three decades, overcoming several financial and structural obstacles to establish Infosys as India’s leading IT company.
Awards Received by Narayana Murthy
Narayana Murthy has received appreciation within India and globally for his exemplary contribution to the world of Information Technology. He is also recognized as a visionary, a great leader, and a compassionate capitalist. His entrepreneurial achievements and philanthropic work have earned him several highly regarded awards from different institutions. These include:
| Year | Name of Award | Awarding Organization |
| 1998 | Distinguished Alumnus Award | IIT Kanpur |
| 2000 | Padma Shri | Government of India |
| 2001 | Wharton Dean’s Medal | University of Pennsylvania |
| 2001 | Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize | Max Schmidheiny Foundation at the University of St. Gallen |
| 2002 | IET Honorary Fellow | Institution of Engineering and Technology |
| 2003 | Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of The Year | Ernst & Young |
| 2007 | IEEE Ernst Weber Engineering Leadership Recognition | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| 2007 | Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | Government of the United Kingdom |
| 2008 | Padma Vibhushan | Government of India |
| 2008 | Officer of the Legion of Honour | Government of France |
| 2009 | Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship | Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars |
| 2009 | Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) | Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University |
| 2011 | NDTV Indian of the Year’s Icon of India | NDTV |
| 2012 | Hoover Medal | American Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| 2013 | 25 Greatest Global Indian Living Legends | NDTV |
| 2013 | Sayaji Ratna Award | Baroda Management Association, Vadodara |
| 2013 | Philanthropist of the Year | The Asian Awards |
| 2014 | CIF Global Indian Award | Canada India Foundation |
| 2017 | Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal | Thomas Jefferson Foundation and The University of Virginia |
| 2018 | Founder’s Medal | IEEE |
| 2022 | Kempegowda Award | Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) |
The Lasting Impact of Narayana Murthy
Today, N. R. Narayana Murthy is more than a CEO, a tech leader, and a venture capitalist. He is the architect who built the blueprint that shaped India’s technological development. He is a thought leader, a visionary, and an inspiration for many. Murthy changed the narrative and stereotypes associated with the perception of Indian talent. He showed the world the power of Indian tech professionals and the heights they can achieve.
His impact goes far beyond Infosys. Narayana Murthy became a mentor to countless young entrepreneurs. Universities and business schools now teach his leadership principles. Innovation, integrity, and customer focus are Murthy’s trademark values. In a recent podcast, he mentioned working for 20 hours daily and motivating today’s young talents to strive for success by being productive and active.
More than business success, Murthy demonstrated a powerful idea: technology can be a force for social good. He proved that successful businesses can have a heart. Through his legacy, he shows that other than creating wealth, entrepreneurs must also focus on creating jobs. Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy have inspired many young men and women to build a great partnership. They have actively given back to society and have worked hard to bring about social change in the country.
Inspiring Journey of Narayana Murthy
Narayan Murthy net worth shows that wealth creation is more than personal accumulation. It is about creating a growth ecosystem and using business as a powerful vehicle of social change. He has paved a path for future entrepreneurs, showing them how their visions can become reality. Murthy’s life and legacy are a testament to simple living and high thinking. He proved that business success and social responsibility can walk hand in hand. He did create wealth and opportunities for thousands of Indians.
Sudha Murty, who juggles many roles as a member of the Rajya Sabha, an author, a philanthropist, and chairperson of the Infosys foundation, is a female icon. She has inspired many modern women by becoming a leader in the tech industry in India. Her dedication and unwavering support to help her husband achieve his vision is inspiring. Their powerful couple dynamics show that with hard work, integrity, and ethical business practices, any simple human can dare to dream big. Murthy’s legacy whispers a simple yet profound message: Your most incredible wealth is not what you earn but what you enable others to achieve.
FAQs
1. How did Narayana Murthy build his wealth?
Narayana Murthy started his IT firm, Infosys, in 1981 with a capital investment of INR 10,000, which he borrowed from his wife, Sudha Murthy. He worked tirelessly for almost three decades, without any vacation, to help his company grow early. In 1999, Infosys became the first company listed on the American Stock Exchange. Under Murthy’s leadership, Infosys expanded globally.
2. What is Narayana Murthy’s stake in Infosys?
Narayana Murthy made headlines recently when he gifted a fraction of his stakes to his months-old grandson. Before gifting, Murthy’s total stake in Infosys was around 0.40%. After gifting, his current minority stake in the company is around 0.36%. Ekagrah Rohan Murty, son of Rohan Murty, now owns 0.04% stakes in Infosys, which amounts to around INR 240 crores.
3. Who are Narayana Murthy’s children?
Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy have two children. Their daughter, Akshata Murty, is a businesswoman, fashion designer, and the wife of the former UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak. Narayan Murthy has a son, Rohan Murty. He is a Cambridge graduate and a PhD. He is also the founder of the Murty Classical Library of India. Rohan currently works as the CTO of his own IT firm, Soroco
4. What are some of Narayana Murthy’s notable philanthropic activities?
Narayana Murthy has partnered with many non-profit organisations and educational institutes to provide quality education in India. He also offers scholarships to meritorious students from weaker backgrounds. Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy started the Infosys Foundation in 1996 to improve the country’s healthcare and education system. Their foundation also focuses on uplifting the destitute and preserving India’s heritage and culture.
5. What is Narayana Murthy’s educational background?
Narayana Murthy completed his schooling at a boys’ school in Karnataka. For higher education, he pursued a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree in electrical engineering from the National Institute of Engineering (NIE), University of Mysore. After his graduation, he entered the world of computers and information technology. Murthy earned a Master of Technology (M.tech) degree in Computer Science from the esteemed institute of IIT Kanpur in 1969.