In a recent revelation, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy shared a significant turning point in his career, disclosing that he was once denied a job by Wipro. The rejection, as narrated by Murthy, played a pivotal role in the establishment of Infosys, a global IT giant founded by him and six fellow engineers.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with CNBC TV18, Murthy disclosed that Wipro’s ex-chairman, Azim Premji, later admitted that not hiring the future Infosys co-founder was “one of the biggest mistakes” he committed. Murthy recounted Premji expressing regret, stating, “Azim once told me that one of the biggest mistakes he committed was not to hire me. If things had turned out differently, there would have been no competition for Wipro.”
Wipro and Infosys, both headquartered in Bengaluru, stand as two of India’s largest IT companies. While Wipro was founded by Azim Premji’s father, MH Hasham Premji, in December 1945, Infosys came into existence in July 1981, co-founded by Narayana Murthy, along with Nandan Nilekani, Kris Gopalakrishnan, SD Shibulal, K Dinesh, NS Raghavan, and Ashok Arora.
Interestingly, Murthy revealed that Infosys had humble beginnings, with a seed capital of ₹10,000 provided by his wife, Sudha Murty. In the same interview, Murthy admitted to being “wrongly idealistic” for not allowing his more qualified wife to work for the company. Sudha Murty’s support became instrumental in the establishment of Infosys.
The 77-year-old billionaire’s journey to co-founding Infosys was not without its share of challenges. Prior to Infosys, Murthy had ventured into Softronics, an initiative that faced failure. He then joined Patni Computer Systems in Pune before eventually co-founding the groundbreaking IT company.
Narayana Murthy’s candid revelation sheds light on the intricacies of his entrepreneurial journey, showcasing how setbacks and rejections can often pave the way for transformative successes. As the Infosys co-founder reflects on the past, the story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and underscores the unpredictable nature of career trajectories.
Sources By Agencies
