Tejasvi Surya on Narayana Murthy: 'Flew economy, stood in queue, used public washroom’

Narayana Murthy, who founded Infosys in 1981 along with six engineers, has long been known for his austere lifestyle and philanthropic focus.

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy was recently spotted flying economy class on a low-cost domestic airline from Mumbai to Bengaluru, drawing fresh praise for his modest lifestyle. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who accompanied the 78-year-old billionaire on the flight, shared the experience on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting Murthy’s humility and simplicity despite his estimated net worth of $5 billion.

According to Surya, Murthy not only chose an economy seat, but also carried his own luggage, declined offers of assistance, and stood in queue to collect his baggage alongside other passengers. He also opted to use the common washroom at the airport rather than access any VIP lounge.

“Not just that, he was on an economy seat,” Surya posted. “Carried his luggage himself though I offered to help many times. After the flight, went to the common washroom – not any VIP lounge – stood in queue to collect his baggage with all, rolled it out himself. Small actions. Big values,” he added.

Not just that, he was on an economy seat. Carried his luggage himself though I offered to help many times. After the flight, went to the common washroom - not any VIP lounge - stood in queue to collect his baggage with all, rolled it out himself. Small actions. Big values.

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) July 15, 2025

In a separate post, the Bengaluru South MP reflected on their conversation during the flight. The two-hour discussion covered a wide range of topics including artificial intelligence, manufacturing, urban planning, youth upskilling, ethics and leadership. Surya described the exchange as “deeply inspiring” and said it had left a lasting impression on him.

The encounter gained traction on social media after Surya responded to a post by ANI editor Smita Prakash. She had earlier commended Murthy for taking a commercial flight instead of using a private jet, calling attention to his understated approach despite being one of India’s most influential business figures.

Murthy’s behaviour on the flight prompted admiration from many users online. One user, Ravindra, wrote: “He has been doing it himself since his first air journey, I guess. I too observed him and his actions when I travelled overseas two decades ago.”

Another remarked on the contrast with local practices: “This is common in western work culture. Even Trump can be seen with a carry-on bag at times. Only here do we carry on with the saheb culture, most prevalent in the Govt and political arena.”

Murthy, who founded Infosys in 1981 along with six engineers, has long been known for his austere lifestyle and philanthropic focus.