India can create the jobs needed to become a developed nation through ideas and enterprise, Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy said at the 17th University Day of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU).
Speaking as the chief guest at the event, Narayana Murthy said entrepreneurship and innovation would be critical to creating employment opportunities and supporting India’s long-term development.
He was speaking on “Ethical Leadership, Transformative Growth & Technology – The Infosys Story & the Future of India”.
Ethics must come before personal gain
Narayana Murthy told students that family values, peers and the surrounding environment play an important role in shaping an individual’s character.
“Hard work, honesty, respect and integrity must come before personal gain,” he said, stressing the importance of ensuring that younger colleagues follow sound principles and that decisions are taken in a manner that earns the respect of society and stakeholders.
“The softest pillow is a clear conscience,” Narayana Murthy told the audience, adding that doing the right thing becomes simpler when ethical conduct is made the benchmark for decision-making.
Recalling his own early years, he said he had been brought up in a value system where earning the respect of society was regarded as the most satisfying outcome of an entrepreneurial journey.
Failure can be a step towards success
Narayana Murthy also spoke about the role of failure in entrepreneurship and innovation.
He recalled that his first company did not succeed before he went on to establish Infosys. According to him, failure can become a series of steps towards success when entrepreneurs learn from their mistakes and avoid repeating them.
He urged students not to allow failure to lead to inaction, drawing a parallel with scientists and researchers who continue their work when experiments do not produce the expected results.
“Scientists and researchers do not give up if they do not get results. They are trained to introspect and start again,” he said, advising students to think rationally, maintain concentration and keep working towards their goals.
JGU links institution building with values
In his opening address, O.P. Jindal Global University Founding Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar said Narayana Murthy’s journey demonstrated how a world-class institution could be built in India and earn global respect.
He said institutions were sustained not merely by buildings, resources, rankings or reputation, but by values, integrity, excellence and responsible leadership.
Prof. Kumar said JGU sought to renew India’s historic place in the global world of ideas and knowledge, while emphasising the university’s responsibility towards future generations.
Research output crosses 11,000 articles
The University Day also saw the release of the JGU Research Report 2026.
Dean of Research Prof. Arpita Gupta said JGU’s research ecosystem had produced 11,000 research articles, including nearly 800 student contributions to Scopus-indexed research publications.
She said the research had relevance across areas including AI, smart cities, climate change, entrepreneurship, healthcare, gender and micro-credit, with implications for policy development and social issues.
JGU Registrar Prof. Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik said the University Day brought together two institution-building stories — the creation of Infosys as a globally respected technology enterprise and JGU’s effort to build a globally respected university.
He said both institutions had been built around long-term purpose, values, professionalism and a commitment to excellence without compromising integrity.
Jindal School of Government and Public Policy Dean Prof. R. Sudarshan, introduced Narayana Murthy and highlighted his contribution to institution building, nation building and philanthropy.
Government of Karnataka former Additional Chief Secretary K. Jairaj, IAS, delivered the special address and spoke about Infosys’ technological, entrepreneurial and philanthropic milestones under Narayana Murthy’s leadership.
The concluding remarks and vote of thanks were delivered by Jindal School of International Affairs Executive Dean, Prof. (Dr.) Hindol Sengupta,