ET: OK, let’s get into some lighter stuff. Mr Murthy, is it true that once you went to Mr Premji for a job and he rejected you?
Murthy: Oh yes, yes. He rejected me.
Premji: We just found him too high powered for us. We were not ready for him. And I must have personally felt very threatened also.
Murthy: He is an extraordinary gentleman.
Premji: We had a drink together at the Wellington Club. At that point of time we were feeling around this industry and wanted to put up an act together.
ET: When was this?
Murthy: 1979.
ET: Apparently one was more keen on products and the other on services, so you disagreed.... Premji: We just found him too high powered for us. We were too small. We had too limited an ambition at that point of time. We started that whole industry with a Rs 15 lakh investment. That's all we could afford as a company at that point of time.
Murthy: He was making the decision. So I don't know what went on in his mind. I know the result. But frankly, I'm very grateful to him for that.
ET: Yes, there are two companies instead of one now.
Murthy: Exactly. I'm very grateful to him for that. And this is why I always believe in the adage "when God closes a door, he opens a window". And I think it worked out well for India, it worked out well for me.
ET: But how did you feel at that moment, when he said no?
Premji: I didn't say no.
Murthy: No he didn't say no, he didn't call me back, that's all.... I must say that he has been the finest competitor we have had. I don't know of anybody else-I'm making a strong statement, but let me-I don't know of anybody else in this industry who has been as courteous, as gentle and as dignified as Azim has been. Yet, we are very tough competitors. We are willing to share at one level. At another level we compete. I'm very grateful, first for that event not happening and then for being extremely friendly after that. He's a unique person in that sense.
Murthy: Oh yes, yes. He rejected me.
Premji: We just found him too high powered for us. We were not ready for him. And I must have personally felt very threatened also.
Murthy: He is an extraordinary gentleman.
Premji: We had a drink together at the Wellington Club. At that point of time we were feeling around this industry and wanted to put up an act together.
ET: When was this?
Murthy: 1979.
ET: Apparently one was more keen on products and the other on services, so you disagreed.... Premji: We just found him too high powered for us. We were too small. We had too limited an ambition at that point of time. We started that whole industry with a Rs 15 lakh investment. That's all we could afford as a company at that point of time.
Murthy: He was making the decision. So I don't know what went on in his mind. I know the result. But frankly, I'm very grateful to him for that.
ET: Yes, there are two companies instead of one now.
Murthy: Exactly. I'm very grateful to him for that. And this is why I always believe in the adage "when God closes a door, he opens a window". And I think it worked out well for India, it worked out well for me.
ET: But how did you feel at that moment, when he said no?
Premji: I didn't say no.
Murthy: No he didn't say no, he didn't call me back, that's all.... I must say that he has been the finest competitor we have had. I don't know of anybody else-I'm making a strong statement, but let me-I don't know of anybody else in this industry who has been as courteous, as gentle and as dignified as Azim has been. Yet, we are very tough competitors. We are willing to share at one level. At another level we compete. I'm very grateful, first for that event not happening and then for being extremely friendly after that. He's a unique person in that sense.
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