N.R. Narayana Murthy will be honoured with the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award sponsored by Applied Materials.
This award, as part of the Tech Awards, honours individuals whose broad vision and leadership help to alleviate humanity’s greatest challenges, according to a media release.
Past recipients include former eBay head Jeff Skoll, Nobel Laureate and former US Vice-President Al Gore and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
The award will be presented on November 15 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Silicon Valley, US.
Accolades for Murthy
Murthy founded tech services giant Infosys Ltd along with six colleagues and went on to become one of India’s most influential advocates for healthcare and rural development.
He served as the first CEO for 21 years and currently holds the role of Chairman Emeritus at the global technology services company.
Infosys established the Infosys Foundation in 1996. The Infosys Foundation works in partnership with non-governmental organisations to help underprivileged rural communities in India that are focusing on five initiatives: healthcare, education, culture, destitute care and rural development.
Murthy has been lauded by TIME magazine, honoured by CNBC and praised by Ernst & Young as World Entrepreneur of the Year.
Tech Awards
The Tech Awards laureates 2012 represent regions as diverse as Africa, India, South America and the United States. Their work impacts people in many more countries worldwide.
During their week-long stay in Silicon Valley, the laureates will be engaged in specialised business and media training, networking with leading tech companies and venture capitalists, as well as learning about the experiences of fellow laureates.
Tech Awards
The Tech Awards are presented by Applied Materials in association with the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Santa Clara University.
This year, two cash prizes will be awarded —- $75,000 and $25,000 — in each of six of The Tech Awards categories: Intel Environment Award; Microsoft Education Award; The Swanson Foundation Young Innovator Award; Nokia Health Award; Flextronics Economic Development Award, and The Sustainable Energy Award.
Since the inception of The Tech Awards programme in 2001, 257 laureates have been recognised. Their pioneering work has included designing earthquake-resistant construction technology to creating a heat-sensitive label for vaccine vials to make sure children receive potent immunisations to building a simple, low-cost, mobile phone-based device that allows remote monitoring and operation of irrigation pumps.
jayanta.mallick@thehindu.co.in