Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Edwin Hubble once got this honour. Narayana Murthy's son Rohan shares three family milestones in a week

It has been a remarkable week for the Murthy family, bringing together three major honours, including one prestigious astronomy award previously received by some of the world's most celebrated scientists. Rohan Murty took to X to share the family's achievements, revealing that his father, N. R. Narayana Murthy, received his 40th honorary doctorate, while his mother, Sudha Murty, received her 24th. His maternal uncle, Shrinivas Ramchandra Kulkarni, was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society's Gold Medal in Astronomy.

Narayana Murthy receives 40th honorary doctorate

Rohan Murty revealed that his father, Infosys co-founder N. R. Narayana Murthy, received his 40th honorary doctorate from the University of York. The milestone formed one part of what Rohan described as three significant events in the family over the past week.

His mother, Sudha Murty, also reached an academic milestone by receiving her 24th honorary doctorate from IIT Dharwad. The achievements were accompanied by an even more historic recognition for Rohan's maternal uncle, Shri Kulkarni.

Uncle receives Royal Astronomical Society's Gold Medal

Shri Kulkarni, Rohan's maternal uncle, was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society's Gold Medal in Astronomy, an honour with a history stretching back two centuries.


According to Rohan's post, the Gold Medal has been awarded since 1824, when mathematician Charles Babbage became its first recipient. Over the years, the prestigious medal has been awarded to some of the most influential figures in science, including Albert Einstein, Edwin Hubble and Stephen Hawking.


Rohan also pointed out that Nobel Prize-winning Indian-American astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar had previously been the only Indian recipient of the medal. The recognition for his uncle therefore marked a significant moment not only for the family but also in the history of Indian recipients of the prestigious astronomy honour.

Rohan Murty's proud message

Reflecting on the three achievements, Rohan summed them up with the numbers 40, 24 and a medal that is two centuries old. With characteristic humour, he added that his own contribution was simply "the photographs."
Rohan then congratulated all three family members and described them as "still the best teachers I've had."

Internet reacts

The post drew warm reactions online, with users congratulating the family on their achievements. One user called them "legendary personalities", while another described Rohan as fortunate to have been born into such an "influential family" and thanked him for sharing the photographs.

Another praised all three for "pursuing excellence" and inspiring millions, calling them "beacons of our society". A user also described it as a "great blessing" to have such scholarly elders for guidance, adding that the post carried a meaningful message on Guru Poornima.