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Sudha Murthy Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth19 August 1950

Age74 Years

BirthplaceShiggaon, Karnataka

ProfessionTeacher, Author, Philanthropist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseN. R. Narayana Murthy

FamilyChildren: Rohan Murty (son), Akshata Murty (daughter)

Sudha Murthy Biography

Sudha Murthy is an Indian teacher, engineer, author and philanthropist best known as chairperson and co-founder of the Infosys Foundation. Over decades she

Early life and background

Sudha Murthy was born on 19 August 1950 in Shiggaon, Karnataka. She grew up in a family with a medical father, Dr. R. H. Kulkarni, and a mother named Vimala Kulkarni. Her siblings include an astronomer brother, Shrinivas Kulkarni, and two sisters, Sunanda Kulkarni and Jaishree Deshpande. Educated in Karnataka, Sudha completed a B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and went on to obtain an M.E. in Computer Science.

Career

After finishing her studies, Sudha entered industry as one of the early women in engineering. She worked at TELCO (now Tata Motors) and later joined the Walchand group in Pune as a senior systems analyst. Her move into the corporate world included a notable moment when she challenged a gender-biased job advertisement and later accepted a role that made her one of the first female development engineers at TELCO.

In 1996 she and friends established the Infosys Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on education, rural development, healthcare, arts and culture, and support for destitute communities. Under her leadership the Foundation has been involved in disaster relief and long-term development work across India. Initiatives attributed to the Foundation in the licensed material include building thousands of school libraries, constructing houses in flood-affected areas, and creating rural sanitation facilities around Bengaluru. The Foundation also maintains a branch in the United States focused on supporting STEM and community initiatives.

Alongside her social work, Sudha has taught as a visiting professor at Bangalore University’s PG Center and at Christ University, Bangalore. She is also an accomplished author, writing in both Kannada and English. Her books draw from real-life experiences and include titles such as How I Taught My Grandmother to Read, Dollar Bahu, Three Thousand Stitches and several Kannada works. Her writing has addressed personal encounters and social themes; one anecdote she recounts in her work describes an experience at Heathrow Airport where she was insulted for her attire.

Personal life and family

Sudha married N. R. Narayana Murthy on 10 February 1978. The couple have two children: a son, Rohan Murty, and a daughter, Akshata Murty. Their family has been connected to public life through professional and philanthropic endeavors. A notable personal decision recorded in the licensed material is Sudha’s financial support early on for her husband’s entrepreneurial plans: she gave savings to help start his business, and later adjusted her own career decisions as the family pursued those goals.

Public profile

Sudha Murthy has received numerous honours for literature and social service. Awards and recognitions listed in the provided excerpt include the Karnataka Rajyotsava State Award, the R. K. Narayan Award for literature, the Padma awards for social work (noted entries in the licensed material include honors in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2023), the Attimabbe Award for excellence in Kannada literature, and lifetime achievement recognition such as the Crossword-Raymond Book Award. She has also been conferred an honorary Doctor of Science degree by IIT Kanpur in 2019.

Her public appearances span writing events, teaching engagements and occasional media cameos; for example, she made a brief acting appearance in a Kannada television serial. The licensed material also describes her love of books, travel and films, and identifies a number of favourite classic actors and films.

Latest updates

As of the details in the licensed material, Sudha Murthy was 74 years old and continued to be active through the Infosys Foundation and her writing. The Infosys Foundation’s work documented in the excerpt includes relief and rebuilding efforts after major natural disasters as well as ongoing development projects in education, sanitation and housing.

Notes on recognition and legacy

Across decades Sudha Murthy has been portrayed in public material as a teacher, engineer, author and philanthropist who combined professional qualifications with sustained social engagement. The Foundation she helped establish is credited in the licensed material with large-scale community projects and disaster relief operations. Her books and public talks have contributed to her profile as a widely read author and social commentator.
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Recent Work

Three Thousand Stitches

A memoir-style collection of real-life episodes, including an account of an incident at Heathrow Airport.

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Career Highlights

  1. Co-founder and chairperson of Infosys Foundation (established 1996)
  2. Author of multiple books in English and Kannada, including Three Thousand Stitches and How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
  3. Visiting professor at Bangalore University PG Center and teacher at Christ University, Bengaluru
  4. Recipient of multiple awards for literature and social work, including Padma honors and an honorary D.Sc. from IIT Kanpur
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Sudha Murthy born?

19 August 1950

What is Sudha Murthy known for?

Teacher, Author, Philanthropist

What is Sudha Murthy’s marital status?

Married

Who is Sudha Murthy married to?

N. R. Narayana Murthy