CREATING THE IT EMPIRE
Narayan Murthy, Chairman and Chief Mentor of Infosys Technologies Limited is one of India’s favorite sons. Hailing from Karnataka, he is known not just for building the biggest IT empire in India but also for his simplicity. For every important dignitary who visits Karnataka, a trip to the famous Infosys campus is almost a must. He has placed India on the world's IT map and provided jobs to thousands. Born on August 20, 1946 in Karnataka, India, Murthy went on to obtain his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from University of Mysore in 1967 and his Master of Technology from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur in 1969. In 1981, he founded along with six software professionals. Murthy served as the Chief Executive Officer of Infosys between 1981 and 2002. Today, Infosys is acknowledged by customers, employees, investors and the general public as a highly respected, dynamic and innovative company. In March 1999, Infosys Technologies became the first India-registered company to be listed on an American stock exchange (NASDAQ: INFY). In March 2002, he handed over the reins of the company to co-founder Nandan M. Nilekani. Murthy is the Chairman of the governing body of the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He is a Member of the Board of Overseers of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School; Cornell University Board of Trustees; Singapore Management University Board of Trustees; INSEAD's Board of Directors and the Asian Institute of Management's Board of Governors. He is also a Member of the Advisory Boards and Councils of the William F. Achtmeyer Center for Global Leadership at the Tuck School of Business, the Corporate Governance initiative at the Harvard Business School, and the Yale University President's Council on International Activities. Murthy has led key corporate governance initiatives in India. He was the Chairman of the Committee on Corporate Governance appointed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 2003 Murthy also serves as an Independent Director on the board of the DBS Bank, Singapore’s largest government-owned bank. He is a Member of the Asia Pacific Advisory Board of British Telecommunications Plc., and a Member of the Board of New Delhi Television Ltd. (NDTV), India.