N. R. Narayana Murthy was born on 20 August 1946 in Mysore, a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka with a long tradition of education and public culture. An Indian citizen, he pursued his studies at Sarada Vilas College, the National Institute of Engineering, and the University of Mysore, before continuing his education at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and Oakland University.

Murthy built his professional career as an entrepreneur and businessperson, most notably as the founder of Infosys, the technology company with which he has remained closely associated across several roles. Over the course of his tenure, he served as the company's chief executive officer, president, chairman, and chief mentor before retiring and taking on the position of chairman emeritus. His work has been recognized through a substantial number of awards and honors, among them the Padma Shri, the Padma Vibhushan, the Officer of the Legion of Honour, the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, the IEEE Founders Medal, the IEEE Ernst Weber Engineering Leadership Recognition, the Hoover Medal, and the Canada India Foundation Chanchlani Global Indian Award.

As of January 2025, Forbes estimated Murthy's net worth at approximately US$5.0 billion, reflecting his continued standing as one of India's prominent figures in business and entrepreneurship.