Philanthropist, engineer and author Sudha Murty was nominated to Rajya Sabha last week, filling the lone vacant seat under the nominated category in the Upper House. The seat had been vacant for more than 21 months.
The nomination of Murty, wife of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and former chairperson of Infosys Foundation, came on International Women’s Day with PM Narendra Modi announcing that her presence in Rajya Sabha would be a “powerful testament to our ‘Nari Shakti’, exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping our nation’s destiny”.
“I am delighted that the President of India has nominated Sudha Murty ji to Rajya Sabha. Sudha ji’s contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring,” PM said on X.
Twelve members having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service are nominated to Rajya Sabha by the President on the advice of the central govt. Seven of the 12 seats fell vacant in April-May 2022. While the President nominated five members - P T Usha (athlete), D V Heggade (social worker), V Vijayendra Prasad (screen writer-director), Ilaiyaraaja (music composer) and Gulam Ali (engineer) - the same year, two seats remained vacant. President Droupadi Murmu nominated Punjab educationist Satnam Singh Sandhu on January 30, leaving one vacancy which was filled with Murty’s nomination. Reacting to her nomination, 73-year-old Murty, mother-in-law of UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, said she was surprised and happy on the development.
“I enjoy what I’m doing. Now, I get a bigger platform and it comes with more responsibilities. I take this as an opportunity to help people, especially those from humble backgrounds. The functioning of Rajya Sabha and being a part of it is a new experience for me,” she said .