Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys, and his wife, Sudha Murty, have secured the fifth position in the list of Bengaluru’s richest families, as per the Hurun India Rich List 2024. With a net worth of ₹36,600 crores, Narayana Murthy ranks as the fifth-wealthiest individual in Bengaluru and the 69th richest person in India. Despite his significant wealth, Murthy’s fortune is overshadowed by another Infosys co-founder, Senapathy Gopalakrishnan, whose net worth is estimated to be ₹38,500 crores.
Who is Senapathy Gopalakrishnan?
Senapathy “Kris” Gopalakrishnan, a co-founder of Infosys, was instrumental in shaping the company’s leadership.He served as the CEO and Managing Director of the global IT giant from 2007 to 2011, before assuming the position of Vice Chairman until 2014.
Currently, Gopalakrishnan is the Chairman of Axilor Ventures, a startup accelerator that has invested in multiple companies, including GoodHome, Kaagaz, and EnKash. He holds master’s degrees in both physics and computer science from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. His contributions to the tech industry were recognized in 2011 when he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor.
Beyond his career at Infosys, Gopalakrishnan and his wife, Sudha Gopalakrishnan, are dedicated philanthropists. They founded the Pratiksha Trust, which focuses on brain research. Gopalakrishnan also serves on the boards of several prestigious institutions, including IIT Madras, IIM Bangalore, and IIIT Bangalore. Additionally, he is a trustee of the Chennai Mathematical Institute.
The Story of Infosys
Infosys, now a global IT powerhouse, had humble beginnings. Founded in 1981 by seven engineers in a one-bedroom apartment, the company later relocated to Bengaluru from Pune. The seven co-founders—Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani, Kris Gopalakrishnan, SD Shibulal, K Dinesh, and N S Raghavan—started the company with just $250. Today, Infosys has grown into one of the world’s largest IT services companies, with a market capitalization of approximately $80 billion.
From its modest start, Infosys has played a significant role in shaping India’s IT industry, while its founders have become some of the wealthiest and most influential people in the country.