Bengaluru, November 12, 2025 — IT industry veteran and Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy on Wednesday delivered a compelling address emphasizing the vital role of research in shaping the future of India and the world. Speaking at the announcement of the Infosys Prize 2025, Murthy highlighted that research is not merely an academic or professional pursuit but an indispensable pathway to societal advancement, economic progress, and human well-being. He called for a renewed national and institutional commitment to cultivating a robust research ecosystem, one that is aspirational, meritocratic, competitive, and capable of nurturing talent across scientific, engineering, economic, mathematical, and humanistic disciplines.

Murthy began his remarks by underscoring the transformative power of research, quoting the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius to illustrate that research represents “the broadening of the mind.” He said that research enables humans to unravel the mysteries of nature, perceive what has not yet been observed by others, and find plausible solutions to challenges that may initially appear insurmountable. According to Murthy, the imperative for India is to strengthen both national and institutional frameworks to foster research, ensuring that intellectual inquiry becomes a cornerstone of the country’s progress. “The need of the day for our country is to strengthen our national and institutional focus on research for a better India and for a better world,” he said.

To illustrate the transformative potential of research on a national scale, Murthy cited the example of the United States. He referenced a seminal letter by former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Dr. Vannevar Bush, the head of the Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II. This letter laid the foundation for a comprehensive report entitled Science — The Endless Frontier, which ultimately led to the establishment of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States. Murthy explained that this report marked a turning point in America’s approach to scientific research, setting in motion a series of developments that would make the United States a global leader in scientific and engineering research, space exploration, uninterrupted research funding, and the overall success of universities, laboratories, and corporate research entities. “The United States’ leadership in scientific research, its technological advancements, and its global preeminence are in no small measure due to the foresight reflected in that report and the institutions it created,” he said.

Murthy then drew attention to the intellectual traits that underpin meaningful research, emphasizing curiosity, imagination, persistence, and humility. He invoked the works and lives of a wide range of thinkers, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Richard Feynman, Alan Turing, Thomas Edison, and Jennifer Doudna, noting that these individuals demonstrated how audacity, imaginative thinking, and relentless perseverance can lead to discoveries that transform society. “Research in universities, laboratories, libraries, and companies is born from such curiosity, imagination, Socratic questioning, daring, and humility,” he explained. He highlighted that successful research is not simply about initial successes but also about the resilience to confront failures, learn from mistakes, and continuously improve processes and outcomes.

Beyond the natural sciences, Murthy stressed the importance of research in social sciences, economics, and the humanities. He referred to Nobel laureate economist and philosopher Dr. Amartya Sen, noting how his extensive research demonstrated the intrinsic connection between development and freedom. Murthy argued that research in economics and social sciences provides a framework for understanding how scientific and technological advancements translate into prosperity, justice, equity, dignity, and individual freedom. In the humanities, research ensures that knowledge serves ethical purposes, guiding societies toward fairness, cultural understanding, and moral responsibility. According to Murthy, the common thread across disciplines is that research represents humanity’s noblest collective enterprise, demanding courage, persistence, imagination, and a commitment to bridging the gap between science and society, reason and values, and ethics and dignity.

Murthy’s address also highlighted the responsibility of India to cultivate a research ecosystem that is competitive, welcoming, and rewarding. He advocated for creating environments that not only challenge researchers intellectually but also provide comfort and support for them and their families. Such an ecosystem, he said, should emphasize a hierarchy of ideas rather than titles or offices, encouraging merit, innovation, and critical thinking over bureaucratic rank. By creating a culture that values intellectual rigor and fosters creativity, India can retain its brightest minds, encourage the next generation of scientists, engineers, economists, and humanists, and ensure that research continues to drive national and global progress.

A recurring theme in Murthy’s speech was the moral dimension of research. He argued that research is not only about technical or theoretical advancement but also about ethical responsibility and societal impact. Researchers must be guided by a sense of purpose, ensuring that their work contributes to the greater good, enhances human dignity, and serves the interests of society. This ethical grounding, according to Murthy, is critical for sustaining trust in science and scholarship, particularly in an era marked by rapid technological change, globalization, and complex societal challenges.

Murthy underscored that fostering a robust research culture is not only a professional or institutional responsibility but also a national duty. He urged the country to recommit itself to building a system where research is highly valued, adequately supported, and celebrated as a national priority. “It is our sacred duty to ensure that these role models find a highly competitive intellectual environment that reveres a hierarchy of ideas rather than a hierarchy of titles and offices,” he said. By placing ideas, creativity, and innovation at the center of India’s intellectual framework, the country can ensure sustained progress across multiple dimensions, from scientific achievement to social development.

Concluding his address, Murthy connected the need for a strong research ecosystem with the broader vision of India’s founding fathers. He reminded the audience that the country’s architects had sacrificed greatly to create an India in which even the poorest child in the remotest village should have access to nutrition, healthcare, shelter, education, and an opportunity for a fulfilling life. Murthy framed research as a critical means of fulfilling this vision, emphasizing that the responsibility for carrying forward these ideals rests on the shoulders of contemporary researchers and innovators. “This is the only way we can fulfil the dreams of our founding fathers,” he said, “and that responsibility lies on the broad, daring, imaginative, and caring shoulders of the Infosys Prize laureates of 2025.”

The Infosys Prize, awarded annually across disciplines such as engineering and computer science, humanities, social sciences, mathematical sciences, and life sciences, recognizes individuals whose contributions to research exemplify excellence, impact, and societal relevance. Murthy’s address not only celebrated the achievements of these laureates but also used their accomplishments as a lens to illustrate the broader vision of India as a research-driven nation. He emphasized that India’s progress, global standing, and societal development are inextricably linked to the ability of its research community to innovate, explore, and address the pressing challenges of the modern world.

Murthy’s remarks serve as a clarion call to policymakers, academic institutions, industry leaders, and society at large to prioritize research and create sustainable structures that reward talent, foster creativity, and uphold ethical standards. By doing so, he argued, India can not only nurture world-class researchers but also leverage their work to address complex challenges in healthcare, energy, technology, social equity, environmental sustainability, and governance. His vision positions research not as an isolated endeavor but as the central pillar for nation-building, global contribution, and human advancement.

In essence, Murthy articulated a vision of research that is simultaneously ambitious, ethical, and socially responsible. He emphasized that fostering such a culture requires courage, curiosity, perseverance, and the freedom to innovate, as well as an unwavering commitment to learning from failures. By championing these ideals, Murthy said, India can cultivate a generation of researchers who are not only technically proficient but also socially conscious, ethically grounded, and committed to using knowledge as a force for global good.

Through his address at the Infosys Prize 2025 announcement, Narayana Murthy reaffirmed that research is the cornerstone of national progress, global leadership, and human development. It is, as he argued, the only sustainable path toward a better India and a better world—a path that demands vision, dedication, imagination, and above all, a steadfast commitment to the pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of society.