Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Why Sudha Murty Spells Her Surname Differently From Murthy
Sudha Murty and her husband, Narayana Murthy, spell their family name differently.
Sudha writes it as “Murty.”
Narayana writes it as “Murthy.”
Sudha says her spelling matches the way the Sanskrit word is pronounced.
The word “murti” can mean a statue, idol or representation.
She first noticed the difference when she was in college.
She kept using “Murty” after she married Narayana.
Narayana accepts her choice, and their daughter Akshata also uses “Murty.”
Sudha Murty uses “Murty,” while her husband Narayana Murthy uses “Murthy.”
She says Sanskrit has distinct letters for different pronunciations and considers “Murty” linguistically more accurate.
Sudha connects the surname to “murti,” meaning a statue, idol or representation.
She first noticed the spelling difference during college and retained her preferred spelling after marriage.
Their daughter Akshata also uses “Murty,” while Narayana continues to use “Murthy.”
- Who
- Author and philanthropist Sudha Murty, her husband Narayana Murthy, and their daughter Akshata Murty.
- What
- Sudha Murty has explained why she spells the family surname “Murty” instead of “Murthy.”
- When
- She first noticed the difference during her college days and continued using “Murty” after marriage.
- Why
- She believes “Murty” more accurately reflects the Sanskrit pronunciation and spelling of the word connected to “murti.”
- Sudha’s spelling
- Murty
- Narayana’s spelling
- Murthy
- Daughter’s spelling
- Akshata Murty also uses “Murty.”
- Sanskrit connection
- The surname is linked to “murti,” meaning a statue, idol or representation.
- Sudha’s reasoning
- She believes Sanskrit uses distinct letters for different pronunciations.
- Family response
- Narayana Murthy accepts Sudha’s spelling preference.