Quotes from Sudha Murty

In my work, 80 per cent of the time people cheat, they run away with money, they lie but there are good things too. And I choose to write about the good and positive things.

My first exposure to sanitation issues occurred when I got admission into an engineering college. They probably didn't want to admit me and informed me that there was no ladies toilet in the college. I was adamant and pursued my studies in engineering in that very college.

I would arrive in college at 8:30 A. M. and go back home at noon to go to the toilet. Then I would return again.

For me, the test of a good office is how clean its toilets are.

Availability of water is critical for sanitation projects. Without water, toilets can't be kept clean. Places where there is no drinking water, water for toilets becomes complicated.

I watch movies regularly, especially Kannada films.

I work everyday, but every day is a holiday for me because I enjoy my work.

All that I can say is people who represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha should speak our language and represent our interests. How can your neighbour safeguard your interests when he cannot even speak your language or understand your difficulties. So, it is better to have our own people.

I am touched by my readers who loved my books. All the stories are true incidents in life. Now I have realised, any amount of imagination will not be as beautiful as the real life.

Writing for children is the toughest thing.

Children require affection. That's very important.

All innovators face challenges and seldom enjoy family support.

I belong to a teachers' family and writing was my expression.

Most people share a yearning to be something bigger than them. Something they can be excited about and something that will challenge them to go beyond being average.

Though most of my titles are translated into about 7 to 8 languages, I feel that translations, to some extent, can lose the flavour of the colloquial words used otherwise in the regional narrative.

Sometimes, my reading choices are defined by the place I'm travelling next.

If I wasn't an engineer, I would have been a film journalist.

I find joy in giving donations.

During my younger days, we didn't have digital media or electronic gadgets the way we do now. So the best part of my day was the one I spent either in listening to stories from my elders or reading them.

It's lovely to write for the youngsters because through your story, you can teach them the lessons of life.

People often ask me how I get so many unique experiences while they get none. I tell them the difference is in the sensitivity. I can observe those small emotions, which may look trivial to others.

There were instances when I felt cheated because my feeling of social service was neither acknowledged or reciprocated by the second party. It is with growing age and experience that I realised, I was doing it for myself and not for others. Hence, I found my happiness and satisfaction in it.

I don't want to associate my social work with Infosys, money, etc.

Every philanthropist has a soft corner for one issue. For me it is health, because my father was a doctor.