Extravagance is not the first thing that visitors notice when they arrive at the Infosys campus in Bengaluru. Order is in order. The glass buildings reflect the bright Karnataka sun, the lawns are trimmed, and the employees are moving quickly between blocks while their ID cards swing from lanyards. The place exudes a calm discipline. In many respects, it seems to be an extension of the man who constructed it.
The 79-year-old Narayana Murthy has long held a unique place in Indian business culture. He is regarded by some as the founder of Indian IT and the creator of the outsourcing model that made Bengaluru famous throughout the world. Others view him as an unyielding traditionalist in a world that is moving toward work-life balance, particularly in light of his recent remarks encouraging young Indians to think about working 70-hour weeks.
Both interpretations might be accurate.
| Full Name | Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy |
|---|---|
| Born | August 20, 1946 – Sidlaghatta, Karnataka, India |
| Age | 79 (as of 2026) |
| Education | National Institute of Engineering (BE), IIT Kanpur (MTech) |
| Known For | Founder of Infosys |
| Former Roles | Chairman, CEO, Chief Mentor, Chairman Emeritus – Infosys |
| Net Worth | Approx. $4.2–5.0 billion (Forbes 2026 estimate) |
| Spouse | Sudha Murty |
| Children | Akshata Murty, Rohan Murty |
| Awards | Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan, CBE, Legion of Honour |
| Official Profile | https://www.infosys.com/about/management-profiles/narayana-murthy.html |
| Forbes Profile | https://www.forbes.com/profile/n-r-narayana-murthy/ |
Murthy was born in 1946 in what was then the Kingdom of Mysore, and his story has been told so many times that it almost sounds legendary. a modest childhood. A degree in engineering. one from IIT Kanpur’s master’s program. Softronics was a failed startup. Then, in 1981, he founded Infosys with six other people and a loan of Rs 10,000 from his wife, Sudha Murty. Given that India was still burdened by license raj bureaucracy in the early 1980s, it is difficult to imagine how unlikely that goal must have appeared.
Still, Infosys expanded. steadily. methodically. establishing a worldwide delivery model that enabled large-scale software service outsourcing to India by Western companies. New York and London investors started to take notice. In the early 2000s, when Indian business was frequently regarded with suspicion, Murthy had emerged as a symbol of sound corporate governance.
It seems as though Murthy’s reputation was built via self-control as much as financial gain. He discussed ethics before it was popular. After 21 years, he resigned as CEO, but he returned for a brief period of time when the business faltered. Even his detractors acknowledge that he did not build his reputation theatrically but rather gradually.
However, the story has become more complex in recent years.
The response to Murthy’s suggestion that young Indians should think about putting in 70 hours a week in order to increase national productivity was immediate and intense. Memes abound in social media. Business leaders disassociated themselves. Younger professionals wondered if billionaires who advocated long hours had any idea what burnout was.
It’s difficult to avoid wondering who was correct when you’re standing outside a Whitefield tech park one evening and seeing young programmers waiting for cabs long after the sun has set. India is a global competitor. One can sense the ambition. However, fatigue is also real. Murthy later explained that his own 70-hour work weeks were not required; rather, they were a personal decision. However, the remark persisted, exposing a generational gap that might be difficult to overcome.
His most recent comments regarding artificial intelligence have now sparked new discussions. According to Murthy, AI won’t completely replace jobs. Rather, those who use it wisely will be rewarded. He has claimed that his own generative AI experiments indicate that more intelligent minds get more output out of these technologies.
That viewpoint has a strikingly antiquated feel to it. Technology is not an equalizer; it is an amplifier. Control your panic. Instead of complaining, adapt.
Whether history will completely support him is still up in the air. Although the implementation of core banking systems initially raised concerns about widespread layoffs, banking employment eventually increased. But for many people, AI feels different. Drafting legal briefs using language models. Code is written by algorithms. Digital tasks are carried out by autonomous agents without getting tired. It’s unnerving in both scale and speed.
Investors appear to be split. According to some, AI will increase margins and productivity, resulting in the creation of completely new job categories. Some subtly admit that the disruption caused by white-collar workers may be worse than previous automation waves. Generally speaking, Murthy is in the optimistic camp—as long as people are dedicated to lifelong learning.
It’s no coincidence that discipline is emphasized. It runs the length of his career. From creating India’s first time-sharing systems at IIM Ahmedabad to leading Infosys through India’s liberalization era, Murthy has frequently presented success as the result of methodical work.
The wider cultural layer is another. As the father-in-law of former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Murthy is more than just a businessman. He transitions between Indian university lectures and Davos panels with ease. However, he still portrays himself as a teacher at heart, warning young professionals instead of praising them.
As you watch this play out, you get the impression that Narayana Murthy comes from a time when ambition was motivated by survival. The current generation may have a different definition of success because they were brought up in an era of relative abundance and global connectivity. That tension goes beyond just the number of hours put in or the proficiency with AI tools. It has to do with perspective.
That being said, it’s difficult to overlook the continuity when strolling around the Infosys campus at dusk and witnessing lights flickering on several floors. The business is still booming. Engineers continue to write code. Customers continue to call. Murthy’s influence is still evident in the architecture; he was methodical, disciplined, and sometimes stubborn.
