1. Nagavara Ramarao Narayan Murthy:

Narayana Murthy was born on 20th August 1946 in Mysore, Karnataka, in a lower middle class Brahmin family. His father was a school teacher who was fond of English literature.

Narayana Murthy was exceptional in studies. Time and again, his seniors in school came to him for solving complex problems. From a very tender age, he had dreams of going to IIT and achieving something big. Hence he worked hard on his academics and was regularly seen studying in the shade of boulders close to the Chamundi hills. Murthy graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the National Institute of Engineering, Mysore, in 1967 and received his Master’s degree from IIT Kanpur in 1969.

Narayana Murthy transformed software industry in India by founding a start-up company called the Infosys. This brainchild made him the icon of middle-class dreams and redefined India in the eyes of the world. India was no longer perceived as a third-world, but a rapidly developing nation with unlimited resource and immense talent pool. In the process, he promoted thousands of young creative Indian aspirants to the world and made India a hub of talent.

Narayana Murthy has received several honors and rewards which include JRD Tata Leadership Award for 1996-97, Business India’s Businessman of the Year in 1999, World Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003, Officer of the Legion of Honor in 2008. For his exceptional contribution in promoting the youth of the country, he was also honored with a Padma Vibushan by the Government of India in 2008.