Murty Or Murthy? Author And Philanthropist Sudha Murty Explains Why Her Surname Is Spelt Differently

Sudha Murty, author, philanthropist and wife of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who recently celebrated the 80th birthday of her beloved husband and the co-founder of Infosys, Narayana Murthy, and visited Swami Venkateshwara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, has often drawn attention to the difference in the spelling of their surnames. While she uses “Murty”, her husband uses “Murthy.” The difference, however, has a deeper connection to Sudha’s understanding of Sanskrit and its pronunciation.

Why does Sudha Murty spell her name ‘Murty’?

Sudha Murty has explained that her preference for “Murty” comes from her belief in the precision of Sanskrit. She believes that Sanskrit has a distinct letter for every pronunciation, and therefore, the spelling should accurately represent the original word. In an interview, she explained the meaning behind the surname and pointed out that “Murti” refers to a statue, idol or representation.

According to Sudha, the Sanskrit pronunciation and spelling do not support the use of “THY”, which is why she considers “Murty” to be more appropriate. Her preference for the spelling dates back to her college days, when she first noticed the difference between her surname and Narayana Murthy’s. Even after their marriage, she chose to retain the spelling she believed was linguistically correct.

Narayana Murthy’s views on the difference

Narayana Murthy has been accepting of his wife’s choice. Describing himself as open-minded and modern, he has emphasised that disagreements do not necessarily have to become conflicts. His approach reflects the importance of respecting each other’s beliefs and choices in a marriage. On being asked, he said that he is open-minded and quite modern about such matters.

The spelling difference continues

Interestingly, the spelling difference continues within the family. Sudha Murty and her daughter Akshata Murty use the “Murty” spelling, while Narayana Murthy continues to use “Murthy.”

The surname itself is linked to the Sanskrit word “murti,” commonly used for an idol or physical representation of a deity. Variations such as Murti, Murty and Murthy can be found when Indian names are transliterated into English.