Sudha Murty

I feel my thoughts flow freely when I write in Kannada.

I wanted to become an engineer and I believed in myself. I was the lone girl to enrol for engineering studies, then. But the college provided me an opportunity to excel in my life.

When Rajesh Khanna died, I cried so much, my husband was confused.

If I wasn't an engineer, I would have been a film journalist.

Whenever you take on a project, there should be an exit policy. You cannot help people forever.

I work everyday, but every day is a holiday for me because I enjoy my work.

People often ask me how I get so many unique experiences while they get none. I tell them the difference is in the sensitivity. I can observe those small emotions, which may look trivial to others.

Professionally, my first book came out at the age of 29, where I wrote about my experiences of backpacking in U.S. on a frugal budget.

Coming from a middle-class background of Northern Karnataka, where good education was the only insurance policy, I started reading and writing very early.

I believe people from the film industry, musicians, dancers, artists and writers are all internally connected. The form of expression externally may vary, but we are connected internally.

I watch movies regularly, especially Kannada films.

So, as a child in school, I used to write essays on how I spent my holiday or about a visit to a temple. I used to document small things and enjoyed the process of writing even then.

To write, I think it is very important to read. The more you read, the more you know the techniques of writing.

When we started out, I kept wondering, what are the rules of philanthropy? And it turns out that there are rules for it. And nobody could talk about that. There is no set formula for this because anything with a human being cannot have a formula.

For me, writing in English is not an easy task.

Every philanthropist has a soft corner for one issue. For me it is health, because my father was a doctor.

When a mother feels cold, she asks the child to wear a sweater. Our concept of poverty is that way. When we do a project and people receive our help, we may think that they are getting benefited, but is this what they really wanted?

I am an engineer and not a trained social worker.

Growing up, I dreamt of being economically independent because I always believed women should be so.

For someone who wants to write a story, they should go on thinking about the story. When it comes up to a level, where it has reached your neck that's when you should go about writing it.

I write because I enjoy it and that I can give it to my granddaughter.

I like to write and that's why I write. I don't think about how much the book will sell.

I would arrive in college at 8:30 A. M. and go back home at noon to go to the toilet. Then I would return again.

One needs determination to bring in changes in the lives of Devadasis. I would approach them wearing pants and t-shirt and without a bindi, they would chase me away. When I narrated the experience to my father, he told me to don traditional wear and dress like them. After bringing in changes in my dressing style, the Devadasis welcomed me.

The criteria for writing mythological books are different. Because the results are known, the end is known. Somebody has created that limit and you have to play within that limit.

Most people share a yearning to be something bigger than them. Something they can be excited about and something that will challenge them to go beyond being average.

I really do not know how to define a real feminist.

In life's journey, we all meet strange people and undergo many experiences that touch us and sometimes even change us.

I am a complete movie buff who still prefers to go for the late night show and seldom watch movies at home.

Education, leading to financial independence, has surely made women more empowered.

When something comes to my mind, I finish a book within 15-20 days.

I was a very naughty kid, who'd say 'I'd write tomorrow.'

Children require affection. That's very important.

Sometimes, my reading choices are defined by the place I'm travelling next.

I am a creative person and watching a movie is like writing a story. So when I see a movie, I also see the editing, the music, the camera angles, etc.

Everything I write is mostly relatable to everyone and since everyone cannot write, they feel like Sudha Murthy is writing their story. I am your writer next-door.

It's lovely to write for the youngsters because through your story, you can teach them the lessons of life.

Nobody owns the money he/she possesses. They hold it just as a trustee.

I will continue to work for people, but not from any political party. What I can do do as a Rajya Sabha member, I can do without being a member too, perhaps even more efficiently.

The day I stopped drinking milk' is a very sensitive story telling the tale of how we forget what is 'normal' for us falls under the category of 'expensive' or 'unaffordable' for middle or poor class.

Planning things is neither my cup of tea nor my choice. Same applies to books too.

There have been plenty of experiences that I wished to write about but found them to be somewhat similar to each other. Later I realised that though they are of similar nature but each of them has changed me in a different way.

There were instances when I felt cheated because my feeling of social service was neither acknowledged or reciprocated by the second party. It is with growing age and experience that I realised, I was doing it for myself and not for others. Hence, I found my happiness and satisfaction in it.

In my work, 80 per cent of the time people cheat, they run away with money, they lie but there are good things too. And I choose to write about the good and positive things.

I lost many friendships because of my wealth. When my friends met me, they had an agenda in mind. Just because I had money, they expected one thing or the other from me, which they didn't before.

We, the authors, want people to buy books. That is the only way we can earn - from our royality.

I was in Kashi to take the holy dip, and when you go to Kashi you have to give up something that you enjoy the most. I gave up shopping, particularly sarees, from thereon. I now only buy the essential items.

I happily watch movies made on the life and achievement of others.

I belong to a teachers' family and writing was my expression.

I don't want to associate my social work with Infosys, money, etc.