Historic Moment for Women in Leadership: Sudha Murty Takes Oath as Rajya Sabha MP

Engineer-turned-philanthropist Sudha Murty, renowned for her contributions to literature and society, was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP today, in a ceremony attended by her husband NR Narayana Murthy and other dignitaries.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar administered the oath in his chamber in Parliament House, with Leader of the House Piyush Goyal also present.

Ms Murty, 73, former chairperson of Infosys Foundation and acclaimed author, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha on International Women's Day last Friday, in recognition of her significant achievements.

Known as the first woman engineer to work with TELCO, she famously provided seed capital to her husband to start Infosys, now valued at over USD 80 billion. She is also renowned for her contribution in literature for both Kannada and English, and is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar, the Padma Shri (2006) and the Padma Bhushan (2023)

Her appointment underscores the vital role women play in nation-building, a sentiment echoed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Born in Karnataka in 1950, Sudha Murty's academic prowess and philanthropic endeavors have left an indelible mark on society, making her appointment to the Rajya Sabha a momentous occasion in her illustrious career.  Married to N. R. Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, and with her son-in-law serving as UK Prime Minister, Sudha Murty's legacy spans continents.