Archive · 19 Aug 2025
Sudha Murthy's Postcard to JRD Tata: A Fight Against Bias
Decades ago, a company called TELCO (now Tata Motors) put out a job ad that said 'lady candidates need not apply.'
Sudha Murthy, a female engineering student, was upset by this and wrote a postcard to JRD Tata, the head of the Tata group.
She was then called for an interview and hired, becoming the first woman engineer at the company.
She later met her future husband there.
This action helped pave the way for more women to work in engineering fields, changing the industry for the better.
Sudha Murthy challenged gender discrimination in a job ad from TELCO, now Tata Motors.
She sent a postcard to JRD Tata protesting the 'lady candidates need not apply' clause.
Murthy was called for an interview and became the first female engineer hired by the company.
She met her future husband, NR Narayana Murthy, while working at TELCO.
JRD Tata acknowledged and supported the inclusion of women in engineering.
- Who
- Sudha Murthy and JRD Tata.
- What
- Sudha Murthy challenged gender discrimination in a job ad by writing to JRD Tata and becoming the first female engineer at TELCO.
- When
- Around April 1974, the job ad was published.
- Where
- Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and TELCO (now Tata Motors) in Pune, India.
- Why
- To protest gender discrimination in the workplace and pave the way for women engineers.
Historical Perspective
Societal Impact
Gender Discrimination
Historical Perspective
Prior to Murthy's intervention, companies like TELCO had practices against hiring women engineers
Societal Impact
Following Murthy's actions, the door was opened for women to enter engineering roles within the company
- Company
- TELCO (now Tata Motors)
- Person involved
- Sudha Murthy and JRD Tata
- Action
- Challenging the 'lady candidates need not apply' clause
- Outcome
- First female engineer hired at TELCO
- Date
- 1974