Author and philanthropist Sudha Murty had an ode for all the wives of entrepreneurs who have stood by their husbands like a rock through their journey at the Moneycontrol Startup Conclave 2023 in Bengaluru.
After an interaction between Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and his son Rohan Murty, where the former praised his wife for being his lifelong support, Sudha Murty took the stage to dedicate a short but moving piece to all the wives of entrepreneurs and their unwavering support.
“I just want to tell all young entrepreneurs that it is very difficult to deal with a more successful man. They are not normal, they are eccentric, they don’t have logic at home – only in the office,” she began as the audience rose up to their feet.
She continued: “They expect you to be their wife, secretary, finance manager, nanny, adviser and many more roles. A woman has to do all those. And any one of them you fail that affects them bad.”
She compared the struggle of finding a strong footing in the industry to a long penance for years.
“In olden days, there used to tapas. Rishis would do tapas and go to forests for how many years I do not know they meditate and get. A person gives all his life, his younger days, his tension, aspirations, everything to one tapas that is their company,” she said.
She then explained that despite all their sacrifices, a woman has to be stronger than the man.
“And a woman has to be stronger than a man. He (Murthy) may be very strong in his company but I am double of that. Every entrepreneur’s wife, I feel, she is more gifted, more hard working than their husband, a better manager, an excellent CEO and a great companion. And they believe their husband’s words. Most of them are impractical but accepting. All these women, who have made wonderful things for their husband – the honour should go to them,” she said to thundering applause.
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Narayana Murthy had just minutes earlier recalled how the only support he had was his wife Sudha Murty and how he resigned from his job on her birthday in 1976 to follow his entrepreneurial dreams.
“I was very lucky in that I had the support of my wife. I still remember when I resigned on her birthday on 19 August, 1976, I met her and wished her happy birthday and said that I have resigned,” Murty said amid laughter from the audience.
Video: Narayana Murthy quit his job on Sudha Murty’s birthday in 1976. How she reacted
He continued: “And she smiled like she always does and said not an issue. We will live within whatever means we have, I will fully support you and you will succeed.” The audience applauded as the camera cut to a smiling Sudha Murty.
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“The only person I was very friendly with was her, she was the only person with whom I confided with and she was an unbelievable support. I was very lucky to have that support,” he said, heaping praises on his wife.
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