Technology can’t overpower the importance of books – Sudha Murty

Sharjah: Celebrated author, educator, and philanthropist Sudha Murty left a live audience of 1,000+ individuals of all age groups at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) captivated and craving for more just as her books do even at the age of 72. In her session, titled “Tales of Grandma”, on Friday, the author of 44 books (29 in English and 15 in Kannada), Sudha Murty acknowledged that she now releases one book a year. Sudha Murty, awarded India’s highest civilian honor Padma Bhushan last month, regaled the audience with tales as a grandmother would. Asked to choose a favorite among her published works, she said: “It is difficult to ask a mother to choose between her children and my books are my children.”

Ms. Murty’s advice to the young audience is to develop hobbies. “It can be anything, even one is fine if you pursue it in all earnest without letting your studies get affected. In fact, the hobby will help you focus on your studies, while also helping you become a better person.” To an interesting question about embracing technology through mediums such as podcasts to deliver her stories, Ms. Murty gave a revealing confession. “I have always been comfortable just writing. Lately, I have been told that I need to investigate new formats to share my stories. Podcasts are not for me. However, I recently requested my daughter to look into the possibility of audiobooks”.

Exclusively talking to The Brew News at Sharjah Children Reading Festival, Sudha Murty advises parents to read first to develop the habit of reading among kids.

Q1. When you are writing for the children, what are the basic requirements you should have? What are your concerns, while writing for kids?

Sudha Murty: number one, it should be a positive story, and then number two you should be very careful using the words, you can’t use any wrong word even for the reference. Number three, you must be full of imagination. You must make your imagination very beautiful which will attract them. Like for example all children like magic stories, and fat men, there are some things which they enjoy. Imagination, fun, and humor are the elements I kept in my mind while writing for kids.

Q2. Your role as a chairman of Infosys foundation and a lot of other activities are taking your time, how are you managing your schedule for writing and thinking process for the subject?

Sudha Murty:  When I feel like writing I write, but I always generate stories in my mind. Depending on what situation it is. It’s always there in the back of my mind. And when it is full, then I will sit down, and it is not every day right No. I don’t write every day. As you know Last year I wrote in January in February two months I wrote and then did not write up to April this year. I don’t write full year.

Q3. You are also a significant symbol of women’s empowerment; you were the first engineer hired by Telco. What is your role in the success of Narayana Murthy and his role in your success?

Sudha Murty: Initially he was used to traveling a lot and I used to look after the children and do the housework. In the later stage definitely, we started sharing professional issues also. We shared our responsibilities depending on the situation. Same in my case you can say “Behind every successful woman there is an understanding man”.

Q4. In the era of technology, the attention span of kids is very low, and technology is really dominating the kids. How do you see it as a writer, is it a crisis for writers that they are getting fewer book readers?

Sudha Murty: There is always friction, and there is always a crisis when anything new is coming to users. I believe that over the period it will settle down. It takes some time to adjust, when computers and machines started, people were worried, the Industrialization revolution created a debate, and nowadays the use of Artificial Intelligence is a matter of concern for many. Over a period of time, it will settle down but yes it also makes a lot of changes in society.

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Q5. Whenever your writing is adopted by the TV and Cinema industry, it has a huge reach than your books. In one Marathi movie based on your book, we have seen you also on screen. Can we see your books and characters in the form of cartoons and illustrations in the coming future?

Sudha Murty: of course, any day, any children’s series on YouTube has much more impact than a book. Once I talk to Twinkle Khanna about my dog, I think it goes from 7 million in one go, even the book on Gopi is read by a million. In the future probably my books could be one, that is not my strength, my strength is writing. My daughter-in-law Aparna will look after it. She’s a model and she knows those things. I told her anything she wanted to convert into multimedia or on YouTube, please do. I’m basically a writer, they can adapt from there, but I don’t get into them.

Q6. India as compared to European countries is lacking behind in terms of writers and reading habits. What do you advise budding authors and how a parent can develop reading habits among kids?

Sudha Murty: Parent should read first. Everyone has to read first before writing or advising. It depends on what they like. But if you want to get an author you should read a lot. For kids it can be anything, even one is fine if you pursue it in all earnest without letting your studies get affected. The reading hobby will help you focus on your studies, while also helping you become a better person.