Sudha Murty launches Three Thousand Stitches' amid cheers

Bengaluru: Philanthropist and author Sudha Murty launched her latest book, Three Thousand Stitches, at the Indian Institute of World Culture on Friday.

This is her twenty second book and it traces her journey as the Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation and talks about her experiences and observations that she gathered in the last twenty years. The loud cheers that filled the auditorium were proof of the love her books have earned in the last two decades, for which, as humble as always, she is grateful.

 “I remember the first time my English work was published in a newspaper. I bought about 12 copies of it. I always believed that it could be my last,” she says in a matter of fact manner, “thought it wasn’t, thankfully.” Her latest book, Three Thousand Stitches, is a collection of 11 short stories. Among them one is closest to her heart. It is the story of the devadasis of Raichur.

“These devadasis were given away to the temples for the slightest reasons. It was tough journey both for them and for us and now there are no more of them in the state. Nearly 3,000 of them have become ex devadasis now,” she said. Journalist and author T.J.S George, who launched the book, said, “Sudha says there are many like her, but in reality, there is only one Sudha Murty.”