Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and his wife, author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy, have refused to participate in the ongoing caste census. Their decision has once again drawn attention to the Karnataka government’s entire initiative.
When the team conducting the caste census visited the Murthy couple’s residence in Bengaluru, they declined to take part and submitted a written statement. In their declaration, they stated that they do not belong to any backward class and that the survey holds no benefit for them.
It is worth noting that the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes is conducting this survey, which has collected data on nearly seven crore residents across the state. As part of the ongoing Karnataka caste census campaign, the officials visited the Murthys’ home in Bengaluru. The couple treated the officials courteously but politely declined to provide personal details. Instead, they handed over a self-declaration letter explaining their decision.
The letter read: “We do not belong to any backward caste, and this survey will not provide us with any benefits. Therefore, we are not participating in this caste census.”
The Karnataka caste census—also known as the Social and Educational Survey—is a state-level initiative aimed at assessing the social, economic, and educational status of the residents. Its primary objective is to gain a realistic understanding of the various castes and communities in the state to inform future policy-making.
