Enough bad leaders, make nation into Ram Rajya: Murthy

NR Narayana Murthy addresses youngsters at the Bangalore Business Literature Festival

India's IT doyen and founder of Bengaluru-based IT major Infosys NR Narayana Murthy, on Saturday claimed that there were a lot of bad leaders in the country and suggested that youngsters should make the country into an actual Ram Rajya.

"What is important for you people is to show honesty, discipline, hard work, high aspirations, open-mindedness and then say we will make this country a developed country," said Murthy, addressing youngsters at the Bangalore Business Literature Festival. "That opportunity was not given to me. I didn't have this. You are at an extraordinary platform. Please seize that opportunity... please follow good people and not a bad leader, of whom there are enough in this country at this point in time.....make this country into a true Ram Rajya."

Murthy said that the country has reached a different platform, which has increased the aspirations of the people.

"You are at a unique place in this country. Certainly, people like me have seen how this country has progressed in the last 30 years," said Murthy. "Our confidence has grown. If you look at the decades, I think the economy has done well. We are now in a different orbit. We are unhappy with a 5% growth rate. Back in time, we were very happy with 2 per cent growth rate."

He emphasised the role of a strong Opposition in a nation and compared it to processes that he and his co-founders followed while running Infosys.

"When you have a democracy, the good thing is that you avoid a major crisis...because there is always an Opposition party," said Murthy. "And Opposition parties play a very important role. They hold the government accountable. And once the government knows that there is strong Opposition, they will think very carefully, whether what they are doing is right or wrong. In the case of Infosys, it was a debating society - there were lots of debates and discussions. We eliminated the ideas that would have probably led to a crisis."