On the other hand, Narayana’s relationship with a difficult father, his family’s financial struggles and the loneliness he faced while trying to achieve his goals, turned him into a go-getter and idealist. Together, the couple faced circumstances that tested not just their determination to succeed, but also their relationship. The reader gets access into their minds and hearts, as the author lays bare their doubts, fears as well as trust and faith in each other.

The book also gives a glimpse into the relationship the Murthys share with their children—Rohan and Akshata— and the values they passed on to their next generation. It was not always smooth-going with Rohan being a restless, trouble-maker of a child and Akshata with her many questions, but the writer does not shy away from depicting the Murthys as regular parents.

Prior to this, no book has documented the early life of the multibillionaire co-founder of Infosys, and Divakurni does it with sensitivity and attention to detail. Perhaps, she is able to do it because of her familiarity with the Murthys for over four decades, but credit also goes to her adeptness at bringing out the smaller nuances and seeing beyond the obvious. Either way, this uncommon love story makes for an engaging read for its inspirational tale of two ordinary people who went on to do extraordinary things.

An Uncommon Love By: Chitra Banerjee Divakurni

Publisher: Juggernaut

Pages: 352

Price: Rs799