'Learn from us. We get up at 6 am and come to vote': Sudha Murty's message to youth

Karnataka elections: Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy and his author wife Sudha Murty were among the early voters at a polling booth in Bengaluru's Jayanagar area. The couple urged people, especially youth, to cast their vote.

"First, we vote and then we say this is good and this is not good. But if we don't do that, then we have no rights to criticise," 76-year-old Narayana Murthy said after exercising his franchise early morning today. A voter turnout of 20.99 per cent was recorded till 11 am.

Sudha Murty said, "Please look at us. We are oldies but we get up at 6 o'clock, come here and vote. Please learn from us. Voting is a sacred part of democracy," the Padma Bhushan awardee said after casting her vote.


"I always tell them (youth) to come and vote and then you have the power to talk, without voting you do not have any power to talk," she said.

Regarding his "expectations" while voting, Narayana Murthy said: "We all hope that the poorest guy in the remotest village in India have access to the basic education, decent healthcare, decent nutrition, and hope that that child's grandchildren will have a better future than that child."

Narayana Murthy also said that "it is the responsibility of the elders to sit down with youngsters and advise them why voting is important. That's what my parents did." Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani also cast his vote at a polling booth in Bengaluru's Koramangala today.

Polling for Karnataka Assembly elections began at 7 am amid tight security today and will end at 6 pm. Voting is being held for 224 assembly constituencies in Karnataka with 2,615 candidates in the fray. Votes will be counted on May 13.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has urged voters, especially first-timers, to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. Karnataka has more than 5.3 crore electors, including 11.71 lakh first-time voters.