Is N.R. Narayana Murthy in the race to become the next President of India?
A TV news channel on Thursday reported the iconic founder of IT bellwether Infosys as saying he was ready to be President if all political parties agreed.
“It will be a great honour. I will be very happy, absolutely, no doubt about it”, Mr Murthy was reported to have said, even as he pointed out that it was too early to talk about it and that it was all in the realm of speculation.
Murthy, now a venture capitalist, already plays a public role in many capacities, notably as chairman of the Public Health Foundation of India and as adviser to several state and foreign governments and has often said he is open to taking up positions from which he can “add value”.
Talking to Deccan Chronicle, Murthy, however, said he was not throwing his hat into the ring.
“I only responded to an insistent reporter when he asked if I would accept if all political parties agreed that I should be President. I said, in that case it will be a great honour. I cannot say no. I reminded him that it was all in the realm of speculation and that we still have nine months to go”.