Extend Indian hospitality to Obama: Narayana Murthy

NEW DELHI: Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy has said the country's citizens should extend "Indian hospitality" and not focus on outsourcing issues during US President Barack Obama's visit next month.

"Obama would an honoured guest and should be be treated in the Indian tradition and philosophy of 'athithi devo bhavo' (a guest is like God), without any expectations from him," Murthy said on the sidelines of a CII event here last night.

When asked if outsourcing issues should be at the top of the agenda for Indo-US discussions, Murthy said, "Instead of focusing on such issues, we should look at how to make his (Obama's) stay in India a good one, we should extend our hospitality, which we are known for."

The US had recently increased H1-B and L1 visas fee, thus hiking operational costs for Indian IT companies, which send a large number of professionals on working visas to the US.

Obama had also stepped up the campaign against outsourcing, giving jitters to the Indian IT industry, whose earnings are heavily dependent on the American market.