Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy has called for a strengthened national and institutional focus on research to propel India towards a better future. Speaking at the Infosys Prize 2025 ceremony in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Murthy emphasized that progress hinges on nurturing curiosity, imagination, and intellectual freedom within the country.
Murthy described research as "humanity's noblest collective enterprise". He stressed that scientific research and development are not luxuries, but necessities for human survival, dignity, and overall advancement. He urged policymakers and institutions to cultivate an environment where researchers feel empowered to explore uncharted territories and pursue ambitious ideas.
Drawing upon historical examples, Murthy cited leaders like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Alan Turing, and Jawaharlal Nehru, highlighting how nations that invested in research achieved sustained prosperity. He also pointed out that research involves learning from failures, using them as opportunities to improve and avoid future mistakes.
Murthy emphasized the importance of creating a meritocratic and supportive ecosystem for young scientists, engineers, and researchers in India. He advocated for an environment that values the hierarchy of ideas over titles and positions, enabling bright minds to fearlessly pursue curiosity-driven inquiries. He framed research as a moral responsibility, linking it to the foundational ideals of an independent India. Murthy stated, "Creating such an ecosystem for research is our unfailing duty because, ultimately, research is the only means we have to make India a better nation, and this world a better world". He further added that this is how the dreams of our founding fathers can be fulfilled, ensuring that the poorest child in the remotest village has access to nutrition, healthcare, shelter, education, and an opportunity to lead a fulfilling life.
Invoking Jawaharlal Nehru, Murthy quoted Nehru as saying, "It is science alone that can solve the problems of hunger and poverty, of superstition, and deadening customs and traditions". Murthy believes that the responsibility of achieving this vision rests on the shoulders of India's young scientists, engineers, economists, mathematicians, and humanists.
