Akshata Murty: “I felt like a princess”: Who was the man that made Akshata Murty’s childhood so special?
We all get emotional recalling our precious childhood memories, and for Akshata Murthy, the feelings are no different. The daughter of Narayana Murthy, one of India’s most prominent business leaders, recently looked back on some of her earliest memories, sharing an emotional glimpse into the bond she shared with her father, her mother, and her grandparents.Speaking on The Rosebud Podcast, Akshata recalled that her earliest memories date back to when she was just two or three years old. Those memories were of a man who visited her regularly. “He used to visit me quite regularly. I was probably between 2 and 3 years old,” she said. Read on to know who the Mystery Man was- and it’s not hard to guess!
15 Jun 2026 | 12:57
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Akshata Murthy recalls her childhood with her grandparents
Akshata Murthy and her younger brother grew up away from her parents. She spent her formative years living with her maternal grandparents in Hubli, Karnataka. Her grandfather was an Obstetrician-Gynecologist surgeon and her grandmother was a homemaker. Even though the small town of Hubli was very hot, for Akshata Murthy, the memories there were “absolutely joyful.”
Photo courtesy: Instagram/@akshatamurty_official
Akshata spent much of her early childhood with her maternal grandparents as her parents, Narayana and Sudha Murthy were establishing their careers. Akshata recalled how her paternal grandfather was an idealist and how he would encourage her father and his siblings to “think really hard” about what they could do for the newly independent India. “And I think that really planted a seed inside my dad on how whatever he did later on in life had to benefit the nation in some way.”
So, who was the mystery man from Akshata Murthy’s childhood?
As she went on to talk about the mystery man who made her childhood special, Akshata described him as someone “kind, really generous, and quite sophisticated.” She recalled how the man used to talk to her in English and not in her mother tongue Kannada. “He enforced no rules. He made me the center of his world. I felt like a princess and I was always heartbroken when he left,” she recalls.
Photo courtesy: Instagram/@akshatamurty_official
The man she was talking about was none other than her father, Narayana Murthy.
Her father is the special person in her life
When asked whether she realized at the time that this special visitor was actually her father, Akshata admitted that she must have known intellectually. She called him “Appa,” the traditional Kannada word for father. Yet, in her memories, he felt like much more than just a parent. “I knew it intellectually, I’m sure, but he was almost like… he was this special person in my life. He came and he went,” she said.One memory, in particular, has stayed with her over the decades. Akshata recalled lying next to her father during his afternoon naps, simply watching him. Even today, she remembers the smallest details. “I still remember the crook of his arm, what he wore,” she said, becoming visibly emotional as she reflected on the memory.The recollection remains so powerful that it still moves her decades later. Speaking about her father, Akshata admitted that even today, he remains one of the most important people in her life. “I’m 46 almost. He’s one of the most special people in my life,” she said.
Photo courtesy: Instagram/@akshatamurty_official
Despite belonging to one of India’s most influential families, where wealth and success were part of everyday life, Akshata’s most cherished childhood memories weren’t about something extravagant or out-of-the-ordinary. The remarkably simple memories revolved around family, the love of her grandparents, and the special bond she shared with her father. While the world knows Narayana Murthy as the co-founder of Infosys, to Akshata he will always be the man who made her feel like a princess and one of the most special people in her life.
