Sudha Murty’s unique spelling choice- M-U-R-T-Y vs M-U-R-T-H-Y explained

Sudha Murty’s unique spelling choice: M-U-R-T-Y vs M-U-R-T-H-Y explained

Sudha Murty, the esteemed philanthropist, and wife of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, recently shed light on the intriguing decision behind spelling her surname as M-U-R-T-Y instead of the more conventional M-U-R-T-H-Y used by her husband. The distinction, she explained, is deeply rooted in Sanskrit tradition, reflecting her commitment to the perfection of the language.

A staunch believer in the precision of Sanskrit, Sudha Murty expressed, “Sanskrit is the perfect language, and for every pronunciation, there is a letter.” Delving into the reasoning behind the unique spelling, she emphasized the visual imagery associated with the name Murthy, stating that ‘THY’ did not align with the Sanskrit spelling.

When asked about her husband’s perspective on this distinctive choice, Narayana Murthy described himself as “open-minded” and “quite modern” about such matters. He emphasized the importance of compromise and respecting each other’s beliefs, stating, “We should agree to disagree without being disagreeable.”

“My belief is I should lead by example,” he added. “So therefore I said if I have to insist on whether T or THY, I thought that is not the right thing.”

Sudha Murty’s preference for ‘TY’ over ‘THY’ originated during her college days when she first encountered the spelling disparity with Narayana Murthy. Despite expressing reluctance to adopt the conventional ‘THY’ during their marriage, she stood firm in her belief in the correctness of ‘TY.’

In an old interview with The Telegraph, Sudha Murty shared her initial hesitancy to embrace ‘THY’ and her inclination to maintain the independence reflected in ‘TY.’ Although she initially contemplated retaining her maiden name, Kulkarni, her father’s logic eventually led her to choose ‘Murty’ over ‘Murthy.’

Reflecting on her decision, she stated, “It’s not about spellings; it’s about what I believe. If it is legally, ethically right, I feel I should do it.” Interestingly, both of the couple’s children, Akshata and Rohan, also write “Murty” and not “Murthy,” affirming the continuity of this unique spelling within the family.