Guess who's boss: Mother Indra

Shantha Krishnamurthy, mother of PepsiCo’s global president & CEO, Indra Nooyi, was completely at ease as she flew in from Chennai for the awards ceremony. “This is one function I am attending without any tension. I am thoroughly enjoying it,” she revealed. Ms Krishnamurthy did not appear particularly overawed by the fact that she would be rubbing shoulders with the cream of Corporate India.

Greetings and good wishes started early for Ms Krishnamurthy, with Mallika Srinivasan, director of Tafe, waving out to her at Chennai airport. Pleasantly surprised, Ms Krishnamurthy said: “I wanted to meet Mallika. I’m glad she spotted me.”

And as she went up to receive the award for Global Indian on behalf of Ms Nooyi, the auditorium broke into a thunderous applause. Beaming with joy, Ms Krishnamurthy later said: “The prime minister told me, ‘I am proud of your daughter.’” Ms Krishnamurthy was also greeted by finance minister P Chidambaram and C Rangarajan.

As the evening progressed, Ms Krishnamurthy was much in demand — the proud mother mingled with India Inc as if that is where she belonged. She was generous in her praise of ET’s coverage of Ms Nooyi’s rise. “It is the first paper to interview me after Indra was named head of Pepsi,” she said.

“Indra always tells me you are my boss,” said Ms Krishnamurthy. Asked what her advice was to the younger generation, she answered pithily: “Obey your parents.” That’s one piece of advice that can never go out of fashion — particularly when it comes from a parent with such astonishingly impeccable credentials.