Sudha Murty’s Rajya Sabha nomination praised

Noted author and philanthropist Sudha Murty was thrilled to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India on International Women’s Day.

“The nomination has come as a pleasant surprise, and I am doubly thrilled to be presented this honor on Women’s Day,” she told The Hindu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed her nomination on social media: “Her presence in the Rajya Sabha is a powerful testament to our Nari Shakti, exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping our nation’s destiny.”

Ms. Murty said that the honor provided her with the highest public platform in India to serve people. “The announcement has come out of the blue. So, I am yet to chalk up my plans for my parliamentary tenure. I am in Thailand to deliver a series of lectures. Once I return home, I will see what I can do best to utilize this platform to work for the people of India,” she said.

Ms. Murty, 73, was born in Shiggaon, Haveri district of Karnataka in 1950.

A graduate in Computer Science Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), she was the first woman engineer at Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO), now Tata Motors. She’s married to N. R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys.