Much has been said and written about the iconic Murthy couple — Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and his wife and philanthropist Sudha Murty. But giving an insightful glimpse into their childhood years and their enchanting romance along with their enduring marriage is Indian-American author and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's new book An Uncommon Love. "The book also delineates the bitter hardships families have to go through sometimes in pursuing this dream, and how they overcame them," said Divakaruni about the book that took two years to write. Some of Divakaruni's best-selling books are The Palace of Illusions, The Forest of Enchantment, The Last Queen, and Independence. Ahead of the Jaipur Literature Festival's 17th edition (JLF 2024), from February 1 to 5, the celebrated author, who will be one of the guest speakers and launching her book, talks more about her bond with the couple, her book, and traversing into the non-fiction space for the first time. Excerpts from an interview. Why did you choose the Murthy couple as the subject of your book? It is more like the book chose me! Juggernaut, my publisher for this book, approached me to write this biography, and at first, I hesitated as my forte was fiction. But the more I looked into the Murthys’ life, the more I felt this was a story that people needed to hear — How they rose from humble beginnings, impelled by their entrepreneurial dream and their love and support for each other. And all the hidden, heartbreaking sacrifices they had to make along the way. Can you take us through what your book delves into? This book is different because it deals with the early life of Sudha and Narayana Murthy, including their childhoods. There’s a lot here that they have never discussed with interviewers before. I’ve focused on how they fell in love, how they overcame family opposition on both sides to get married, and their many early challenges in following the entrepreneurial dream. What is the most cherished memory of the couple you gathered while researching for the book? The most cherished memory I gathered was when Sudha wept on the steps of the MIT campus in Boston because she had had to give up the chance to study there and how, when Murthy learned of this, he offered to put her through college there even though it would mean the end of his own entrepreneurial dream. You will have to read the book to discover the romantic resolution of this issue! Although Sudhaji and Murthy ji were indeed very busy, they made time for me. After many emails back and forth with my questions and their answers, and many Zoom sessions, I went and spent some time with them in their home in Bengaluru. I interviewed them, shadowed them, and asked many questions. They were very generous and honest with their answers. I also spoke to the children, Sudha’s siblings. What is a striking aspect of the couple's relationship that you think is relevant for the present generation and why? They are, first and foremost, partners. They nurtured each other’s dreams even though they didn’t always agree with each other. They were both willing to sacrifice for each other. And when they felt they had made mistakes, or hurt each other, they were not afraid to admit their errors to each other. What makes the Murthy couple so powerful yet so humble in their background? Their values — especially their desire to give back to society in a significant way, which they held on to through many difficulties — make them powerful and genuine. They have experienced firsthand what it means not to have enough. But I don’t want readers to think this book is about a “perfect” couple. They made plenty of mistakes — and in this book, they share those difficult learning opportunities very frankly with the reader, hoping the reader will learn from their errors. There are several laugh-out-loud moments, especially from their dating days, and tricks Sudha played on Murthy later in their marriage, that will enchant readers. What is the message that you would like the readers to get from the book? An important message of the book is: Dream Big; Take risks; If you fail, get up (even if you’re hurting)—and try again. How excited are you for JLF 2024? I am super excited about JLF 2024, because I will launch the book there, and Sudha Murty will be there onstage for the launch. So the audience will get her take on the book. She is a fantastic speaker. I want to encourage everyone to attend the Jaipur Lit Fest. It’s an amazing experience. The energy and love for books there is huge. I learn so much each time I attend and listen to other authors. And it’s most invigorating to be around so many enthusiastic readers. What's next for you as a writer? I’m going back to fiction for my next book — writing a magical fantasy novel based on Bengali tales I was told growing up. And yes, like in Palace of Illusions and Forest of Enchantments, this one will also have powerful women at its center.
