Back to the commons
Principles of Living · Bookplate
Narayana Murthy

Narayana Murthy

@n-r-narayana-murthy

N. R. Narayana Murthy is an Indian businessman and co-founder of Infosys, one of the companies that helped shape India’s modern information technology industry. He is widely known as a pioneering figure in global outsourcing and the growth of India’s software services sector.

18
Principles
1,252
Upvotes received
582
Borrowed by others
The manifesto · 18 principles
  1. Stay curious, keep learning, and adapt to changing times without compromising core values.
  2. Measure success not only by financial outcomes but by the positive impact created on society.
  3. Maintain transparency, governance, and strong systems to sustain growth.
  4. Keep politics, ego, and personal vanity out of business decisions.
  5. Believe that entrepreneurship should create jobs, opportunity, and social progress.
  6. Invest in education, talent development, and the next generation of leaders.
  7. Use adversity as fuel for learning, resilience, and improvement.
  8. Accept that success requires sacrifice, patience, and delayed gratification.
  9. Be frugal and value-conscious; use resources wisely and avoid waste.
  10. Think globally, compete globally, and aim to build world-class institutions from India.
  11. Embrace innovation and technology as tools for solving real problems at scale.
  12. Focus on merit, competence, and accountability when building teams and organizations.
  13. Treat customers, employees, and partners with respect, fairness, and dignity.
  14. Stay simple and humble, regardless of success or wealth.
  15. Lead by example and maintain high ethical standards, especially when no one is watching.
  16. Practice integrity and honesty in every deal; reputation and trust are among the most important assets a person or company can have.
  17. Start with a clear purpose and build institutions that create long-term value, not just short-term profits.
  18. Believe in hard work, long hours, and personal discipline; excellence comes from sustained effort rather than shortcuts.