On India And Singapore, Infosys Co-founder NR Narayana Murthy's 'Reality Check'

Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy gave students a 'reality check' during an address at GMR Institute of Technology in Andhra Pradesh yesterday. Taking Singapore as a yardstick, he told the students that it depends on them to work towards a new reality.

"In India, reality means corruption, dirty roads, pollution and many times no power," Mr Murthy said, according to a press release from GMR. He then went on to add that the reality in Singapore means "clean roads, no pollution and lots of power".

"Therefore, it is your responsibility to create that new reality," he told the students at the institute.

Founded in 1997 and run by the GMR Group's Corporate Social Responsibility arm, the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, is celebrating its 25th year.

Mr Murthy had earlier pointed out the slow pace of development in Indian cities.  

Six years ago, he had said that India is "far, far away" from realising the ambition of developing smart cities. Asked why he did not speak of smart cities -- a flagship programme of the Central government -- at a function in Mumbai, he said, "Since we are far, far away from smart cities, I did not talk about it".

At the lecture organised by JSW Literature Live in August 2016, Mr Murthy also spoke of the lack of infrastructure in cities. "Poor infrastructure can drive away investments and talent," he said, pointing out how Mumbai has suffered due to this continued neglect.

Mr Murthy's daughter Akshata Murthy is married to Rishi Sunak, who recently became the Prime Minister of the UK. The Murthys rarely talk about Mr Sunak. In a recent interview to NDTV, Sudha Murthy, a writer and philanthropist, said she was "happy that he has become Britain's PM".  

"He has become PM. Fine, I am happy, not more than that," she said. Asked whether she follows his progress in Britain, she said, "I look after my own country's things, he looks after his".