Techno India University in Kolkata witnessed a rare convergence of minds and ideals when Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy attended the institution's commencement ceremony. In the midst of the academic festivity, a candid exchange revealed Murthy's modesty and profound insights.
Meghdut Roy Chowdhury, the Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director of Techno India Group, highlighted Murthy's unwavering commitment to simplicity and commitment in an Instagram post.
Roy Chowdhury told Moneycontrol that when Murthy was invited to be the principal guest at the convocation, he wanted to ensure that the 76-year-old's four-hour journey went smoothly. He desired to secure business class tickets and the seats next to Murthy on the flight to avoid interruptions or complications.
But Murthy declined everything. He didn't even want a "fancy car" or a hotel room sent to the airport. Spending time with students was his number one priority.
"Please don't send me business class tickets or any fancy car. I don't need a room in a 5-star hotel to freshen up. I'll come for the convocation and spend a few hours with you all and the students. Let's focus on that," wrote Roy Chowdhury.
He added that the only thing that bothered Murthy was that it took so long to reach the venue from the airport; he regretted not being able to spend those minutes with the students.
Before the commencement, Murthy shared a vegetarian meal with Roy Chowdhury and his French wife Pauline Laravoire. During this meeting, Roy Chowdhury was surprised to discover that Murthy was fluent in French, a language he began learning fifty years ago when he went to France to work.
Despite admitting some rustiness due to lack of practise, his skill remained undeniable.
During their hour-long brunch, they discussed politics, democracy, communism – particularly in Bengal – professionalism, pluralism, ethics, and religion.
During his address to students on stage, Murthy also discussed democracy.
He stated that democracy functions most effectively in a pluralistic environment where every citizen is free to practise his or her own religion without imposing it on others.
He also stated that he believes democracy will only flourish in India if a paradigm is developed that emphasises the similarities rather than the differences between beliefs.
Roy Chowdhury offered, half-jokingly, to schedule a charter flight for Murthy when the latter was running slightly late for his evening departure. “That would not sit very well with me,” Murthy stated very seriously.
Roy Chowdhury reported that Murthy provided individualised attention to each person who came to speak with him and painstakingly posed for photographs with each person.
Roy Chowdhury drew one profound conclusion from the conversation: "We must all aspire to lead professional lives which are not tainted by personal or familial attachments. One should uphold professionalism, discipline, hard work, honesty, and open-mindedness at the heart of their career."
Nearly 4,200 students received their degrees at the graduation ceremony.
Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, business magnate Ratan Tata, actor Sushmita Sen, musician Kavita Krishnamurthy, and author Shiv Chandra Mukhopadhyay were awarded Doctor of Letters degrees. Tata, Ganguly, and Sen were unable to attend the ceremony, but they sent video messages expressing their condolences.
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