N. R. Narayana Murthy

Murthy studied electrical engineering, worked briefly in Paris, and came home wanting to prove Indians could build world-class software. In 1981, he and six friends pooled ten thousand rupees — borrowed from his wife Sudha — and started Infosys in a small Pune apartment.

He insisted on paying taxes fully, treating employees like partners with stock options, and telling the truth to investors. Infosys became one of the first Indian companies listed on the American stock exchange and helped make Bengaluru the world's back office.

Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy (born 1946) co-founded Infosys in 1981 in Pune with six colleagues and an initial capital of ₹10,000 borrowed from his wife Sudha Murty. He served as CEO from 1981 to 2002 and executive chairman until 2011.

Under his leadership, Infosys pioneered the Global Delivery Model — code written in India for clients worldwide — and became, in 1999, the first Indian company listed on the NASDAQ. He championed high standards of corporate governance and disclosure and pioneered employee stock options in Indian IT, creating thousands of shareholder-employees.

He founded the Infosys Foundation with Sudha Murty, has received the Padma Vibhushan (2008), the Legion of Honour (France, 2008), the CBE (UK, 2007) and was named one of Time's most influential people. He briefly returned as executive chairman in 2013–2014 to steady the company.