Narayana Murthy: farewell on a different note

It’s the end of an epoch. The cliché goes well with the description of retirement of N R Narayanamurthy as founder chairman of Infosys because his tenure was an era of middleclass dreams taking wings, while his own rags to riches story was the guiding spirit.

Although he holds barely two percent of the share of an IT company with revenues Rs. 27,000 crore, Narayanamurthy is the richest in the eyes of a middleclass man in Bangalore, while he is seen as a creator of India’s first generation of salaried millionaires. Many of his Kannada speaking employees wanted to emulate him mimicked his simple way of leading life by moving to a two-bedroom house even when they were capable of building a bungalow.

Those who were invited to marriage of his children -- the daughter Akshatha married last year and the son Rohan entered the wedlock this year -- were impressed not by pomp but the dignified austerity. The intimate atmosphere was warm with a typical middleclass hospitality not filled with dazzling display of wealth. The newly wedded couple didn’t shake hands with those who wished them, but folded hands seeking their blessings. The guests had a sense of fulfillment by blessing rather than handing them over a formal best wish.

The ambiance was completely Kannada at the Leela Palace (receptions of both the weddings were held at this five star hotel) with poetry of the language being played in instrumental, and the delicacies on menu were with native flavour. Pleasantries exchanged between the guests and the hosts were so natural in the language that people came from places like Hubli and Bijapur felt at home. English was earmarked for those who were from outside.

Muthy’s wife Sudha is a notch up as far as Kannada is concerned. She writes in Kannada and wants to be recognised as a Kannada writer. Her patronage to Kannada Sahitya Parishat is in line with her interests and taste.

Yet, Murthy was opposed when the government chose him to inaugurate Viswa Kannada Sammelana, a world convention on Kannada. His selection was perfect as he was the global face of the brand Karnataka, but he was seen as an opponent in the literary circle because of his indifferent stand on the learning of the language. In their view, he was just a crony capitalist tending to capitalize on English boom uprooting the very culture of the land. He was allowed to deliver the inaugural speech, following a long drawn bargain, but the address was a compromise and miserably failed to strike chords.

While he could have been an icon for the poor aiming high, Murthy is paradoxically seen as a nouveau riche taking potshots at the system encouraging poor to get good education. His admirers frowned at his stand condemning reservation at IIMs and subsidised education for the underprivileged. His concerns over the standards of education coming down by allowing poor to sit next to rich in classrooms were unfounded and completely alienated him from the crowd at the ground level. Paradox is that Murthy is from such a poor background that he got his primary education sitting on the floor under a thatched roof.

People remember Sir M Visweswaraya with gratitude for illuminating their lives without pinching their sentiments and self respect. Illuminating the lives is also in literal meaning because he was the one who brought electricity to the state. His vision shaped the industry, education, commerce, and modern culture of the state. In fact, the brand Bangalore was built at those times and it was a glowing peck on the globe.

Visweswaraya and Narayana Murthy have many similarities in them considering their background, vision, and outlook excepting the former was a great administrator endeared by identifying with the mass, while the latter is a great enterpreneur envied by standing apart from them.

Murthy's name was propped up for the presidential candidature before Prathibha Devi Singh Patil was elected. He was pushed back after he kicking up controversy by allegedly insulting national anthem.

Although, he has said he had no belief in things like second innings, we can expect him to play a long innings differently, while the country needs his visionary ideas. After all he is still 65.

Visweswaraya was conferred Bharatha Ratna. If he can take a leaf from the book of his fellow Kannadiga, Murthy can even be our Bharatha Ratna with or without the crown.