When Sudha Murthy Became The First Woman Engineer To Be Employed At TELCO

Rebels and non-conformists are often the pioneers and designers of change. Well, Infosys Foundation Chairperson realized this early on when she took matter in her own hands and wrote a letter to JRD Tata asking for women engineers to be accepted in Telco.

She went down the memory lane and revealed all this and much more when she graced the Hot Seat on the finale episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Sudha Murthy with Amitabh Bachchan

She said, “It was March 1974, I was in my MTech final year and had just got a scholarship to go to America, 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. In comparison, my father who was a government doctor earned Rs. 600 and Telco was offering Rs. 1500. But that notice followed with a line that said lady students need not apply. I was agitated! I have studied with the boys of my batch and I clearly new how well they studied! I took a postcard and furiously wrote on it without even known whom to mail it to.

Amitabh Bachchan asks for Sudha Murthy's autograph on KBC 11

I had studied in Indian Institute of Sciences and I remember that JRD Tata used to attend our Founders Day. I hadn’t even met him personally. So I wrote to him - ‘Dear JRD Tata, Tatas are pioneers in the industrial sector and have made hotels and TISCO; yet your thinking is so backward. How can you say that lady students need not apply to the jobs offered by you? Our society is made up of 50% ladies and if this thought continues, we will never be able to progress.’ Now after I wrote the postcard, I dint know where exactly to mail it. So I addressed it to Mr. JRD Tata, TELCO, Mumbai and mailed it. While the address was definitely wrong, he somehow received my postcard. When he read my postcard, he summoned his team and addressed the issue that I raised. He said I had written to him asking for equality – a chance to be selected only on the basis of merit. So he told his team to interview me and take the required test that they would have to assess the right candidate for the job. Should I fail, I should not be given the job. So I was called to Pune and I interviewed with a panel of 10 people. I was a little scared to be honest. Because I thought they may fail me on purpose. But I went nonetheless with a thought that what is the worse that can happen. It is the same thought with which I have come to KBC to answer tough questions  (laughs)!”

Amitabh Bachchan touches feet of Karamveer Sudha Murthy on KBC 11

She further went on the add her fathers reaction on this whole episode. She said, “I was very happy that I landed myself the job. When I returned home, I excitedly narrated the entire incident to my father with an expectation that he will pat my back. He asked me whether I will take the job and I said no… I will go to America. He, in turn was very angry and called me a fool. When I asked him what did I do wrong, he explained to me that firstly, when you write to someone of stature, you should post a letter and not a postcard. Secondly, he said to me that I raised a valid issue with I wrote to JRD Tata and its very incorrect of me to not accept the job and go to America. He said that if I truly believe that women do not have proper representation in the field, then I should accept the job and prove myself so that a precedent is set towards accepting women in this field. If you don’t do this then you will be the worst example for women not working! They will always say that look at Sudha Kulkarni, she was given the opportunity, but she chose otherwise. Therefore its not only your duty to take up this job, but to also perform well. I thought about what my father said for two days and I did accept the job. That’s how I became the 1^st woman engineer to work in TELCO.”

Sudha Murthy with Amitabh Bachchan on KBC 11

Mr. Bachchan, who was motivated after listening to her story, was so moved that he took her autograph and even touched her feet.

 Watch Finale episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati – Season 11 at 9 PM, this Friday (29^th November), only on Sony Entertainment Television!

For more Bollywood updates, follow Bollyy!

Tags: Bollywood, Bollywood News, Bollywood Updates, Television, Telly News, Sudha Murthy