The Amitabh Bachchan-helmed "Kaun Banega Crorepati" is known for welcoming achievers from all walks of life as contestants. The latest female achiever to be a part of the show was none other than Sudha Murthy. The Infosys Foundation Chairperson graced the hot seat in the finale episode of this seasons KBC.
After winning Rs 25 lakh, Sudha could not answer the question for Rs 50 lakh. The question involved Amitabh’s wife and Bollywood actress Jaya Bachchan. The question that made her quit the show was: “Which female actor received the Filmfare Award for best actor for two consecutive years?” The options included Sharmila Tagore, Kangana Ranaut, Kajol and Jaya Bachchan. Sudha decided to quit and took a guess later and picked Kajol’s name while the right answer was Jaya.
Disappointed with Sudha’s answer, Amitabh said, “Ghar ja ke mujhe bahut maar padne wali hai. (I am going to get a beating when I reach home).”
In the finale episode, Murthy went down the memory lane and recalled how she had landed her first job in Telco, the organisation which at that time did not hire female employees.
"It was March 1974, I was in my MTech final year when I came across a notice which stated - Telco requires bright, young engineers at a salary of Rs 1,500. This was big money at that time. But that notice followed with a line that said lady students need not apply. I was agitated! I took a postcard addressed it to Mr. JRD Tata, TELCO, Mumbai and mailed it," Murthy recalled, on the Sony TV quiz show.
After writing a letter to JRD Tata asking for women engineers to be accepted in Telco, Murthy was summoned for a job interview in Pune. That's how she became the first woman engineer to work in TELCO.
Show host Amitabh Bachchan looked motivated on listening to her story. In fact, he was so moved that he took her autograph and even touched her feet.
The Finale episode of "Kaun Banega Crorepati" aired on November 29.
