‘I would’ve jumped off a cliff for him’: Nandan Nilekani on Narayana Murthy’s impact on his journey

Nilekani, who referred to himself as an “accidental entrepreneur,” said that technology was undergoing a major shift––from mainframes to mini-computers––when he first heard about Patni Computer Systems, the company where Murthy was heading the software division. “When I heard about this mini-computer company, I said, ‘Wow, this sounds exciting’,” he said.

Murthy’s vision and ambition deeply influenced Nilekani. “I was willing to do anything for him. If he had asked me to jump off a cliff, I would have done it. Working with him was an incredible experience,” he said.

Reflecting on that pivotal job interview, Nilekani recalled being asked challenging problem-solving questions. “Luckily, I managed to answer them correctly, and he offered me a job,” he told Roslansky.

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Nilekani said he didn’t set out to create a multinational IT conglomerate or spearhead ground-breaking public technology initiatives. Rather, his journey was driven by his natural curiosity. He said, “I wake up every morning excited to learn something new.”

Reflecting on his beginnings, Nilekani also recounted a pivotal moment of defiance—choosing IIT Bombay and electrical engineering over IIT Madras, despite his father’s advice. “It was a small act of rebellion,” Nilekani said. Yet, this decision ultimately paved the way for him to play a key role in India’s digital and technological revolution.