Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy sees India’s rapidly rising population as one of the greatest risks to the country’s sustainability.
During the convocation ceremony at Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology in Prayagraj, where he served as the chief guest, Murthy pointed out that population control has been largely neglected since the Emergency period, a lapse that now endangers the nation’s future.
“India faces significant challenges related to population, per capita land availability, and healthcare facilities,” Murthy remarked. He highlighted the stark contrast between India and countries like the US, Brazil, and China, stating, “Since the Emergency period, we Indians have not paid enough attention to population control. This poses a risk of making our country unsustainable. In comparison, countries such as the US, Brazil, and China have far higher per capita land availability.”
Murthy had earlier expressed skepticism about India’s ambition to compete with China as a global manufacturing hub. At the ‘ELCIA Tech Summit 2024,’ he cautioned against using terms like “hub” and “global leader” prematurely, noting, “China has already become the factory of the world. Around 90% of things in supermarkets and home depots in other countries are manufactured in China. They have six times the GDP of India. It is too audacious of us to say India will become the manufacturing hub.”
Murthy emphasized that while the IT sector in India thrives on exports, the manufacturing industry depends heavily on domestic contributions and government support. He pointed out that improvements in public governance, such as reducing the interface between government and industry, are essential for fostering growth in manufacturing.
“For manufacturing, by and large, the domestic contribution is more, and the government plays a big role in the success of manufacturing. Unfortunately, the response time, transparency, accountability, speed, and excellence in public governance in a country like India still need to improve,” he said.
Reflecting on his own journey, Murthy underscored the sacrifices made by the previous generation, including his own parents, siblings, and teachers, which paved the way for current opportunities. “One generation must make many sacrifices to improve the lives of the next. My parents, siblings, and teachers made significant sacrifices for my progress, and my presence here as the chief guest is proof that their sacrifices were not in vain,” he said.
