'Only in Bengaluru...': Founder tells how an e-mail helped him to catch up with Infosys' Narayana Murthy

Founder shares a decade-old story about how writing an e-mail got him a chance to meet Narayana Murthy in Bengaluru.

Bengaluru’s startup ecosystem is often praised for innovation and funding, but for many founders, its biggest strength is accessibility. That culture was highlighted by Gully Labs founder Vinay Parameshwarappa, who recently shared a personal story about meeting Narayana Murthy simply by sending him an email.

Speaking on a podcast, Parameshwarappa was asked what, according to him, is something that can happen only in Bengaluru. In response, he recalled an incident from May 2016, when he decided to reach out to Murthy directly. He said he introduced himself over email, explained what he was working on, and expressed a desire to meet. To his surprise, he received a reply inviting him to come over for a conversation.

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Parameshwarappa described arriving at Murthy’s office around 2.30 pm, where he was asked to wait in a conference room. When Murthy walked in, the two shook hands, and Parameshwarappa thanked him for sparing time despite his busy schedule. What stood out, he said, was Murthy’s response that he too was interested in meeting and chatting with him.

For Parameshwarappa, the meeting carried deep personal meaning. He called Murthy a hero and said he had always admired how Infosys was built in the 1980s by a group of like-minded friends. Meeting someone he had long looked up to, he said, was a defining moment in his entrepreneurial journey.

Reflecting on the experience, Parameshwarappa said such openness is rare elsewhere. He noted that in cities like Mumbai or Delhi, it would be difficult to expect a response from people at the very top simply through an email. Bengaluru, he argued, is different, a place where first-generation founders remain approachable, making it special among Indian cities.

The clip has since gone viral, with many users agreeing with his assessment. One comment praised Murthy and other self-made entrepreneurs, calling them examples of first-generation wealth built with integrity, and said their accessibility is what continues to inspire young founders across the country.