TUMAKURU: Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy became a ‘student’ once again and even ‘sat’ beside his ‘benchmate’! He was on a virtual visit to his alma mater, Government High School, in Madhugiri town, on Saturday noon.
He interacted with his ‘benchmate’, former MLC Doddarange Gowda, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar, Sri Swami Japananda, head of Ramakrishna Sevashram in Pavagada, and Gururaj B Deshpande, senior VP Infosys. He later launched ‘Doora Taranga Shikshana’ for SSLC students where he addressed educators and students at a function, presided by the minister.
Logging into his memories, the 74-year-old Murthy spoke fondly of his teachers Revana Siddaiah and Narasimha Krishnan, who had made an impression on him. He studied in Class 8 and 9 here back in 1958-59 where Revana Siddaiah taught him Sanskrit.
The star alumnus has a strong link with this school where his father was headmaster. “My father, N R Rama Rao, was the Headmaster who would encourage the students to participate in sports activities. He would get all the gates shut and ask the students to play any game of their choice,” he recalled.
“Education opens up opportunities, besides making one to be a good thinker. The Swamiji’s efforts in extending digital education to the children of remote areas through Infosys Foundation is commendable,” he said. When Minister Suresh Kumar read out TNSE’s headline --- NRN goes back to school after six decades --- Murthy smiled and more reminiscences followed. Murthy appreciated the minister’s efforts for trying to bridge the gap between the urban and rural students.
Doddarange Gowda too who recalled his school days suggested to the minister to incorporate Narayana Murthy’s biography in textbooks to inspire the children. The minister, however, did not respond immediately to it but wished that the school produced the likes of Narayana Murthy.