Writer-philanthropist Sudha Murty speaks with us about becoming the recipient of the Global Indian award, dealing with trolls on social media, and more.

The Canada India Foundation in Toronto recently presented author and philanthropist Sudha Murty with the Global Indian Award. The philanthropist and novelist is the first woman to win this honour. Speaking with us at the just finished eighth Ooty Literary Festival in Tamil Nadu, she says, “I won a $50,000 prize and gave it to the University of Toronto’s Department of Mathematics (Canada).” I have a great deal of respect for maths. The article also states that she and her spouse, Narayana Murthy, are the inaugural recipients of the prize.

The 73-year-old, a vegetarian, faced trolling on social media after expressing worry that one spoon may be used to serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine. “I don’t worry much about it. It is always temporary, never permanent. Today if it’s on me, it will be on someone else tomorrow. I don’t give it much importance. My aim is focused on children and young readers, mainly.”

Regarding social media, Murty says that the younger generation should work hard to succeed since he thinks there is a greater desire for rapid satisfaction now. “In order to succeed, you must develop persistence and patience. In real life, success is not always guaranteed, unlike in a three-hour film.

she says, adding, “Don’t wait for instant gratification. We live in a world where we press one button and get the desired results, but life has so many surprises.”

She thinks that today’s youth’s reading habits have also been impacted by this drive for rapid satisfaction. When you ask if she has a solution for this “global issue,” Murty responds,  “I don’t have an immediate fix for it but I would say to all the parents out there that they should start inculcating the habit of reading among children at a young age.”