Why Sudha Murty stopped shopping and has not bought a sari in 30 years

“It is said that when you go to Kashi, you should give up something you like very much. I used to love shopping, so my promise to the Ganga was that I would give up shopping for this lifetime,” the engineer-turned-philanthropist said in the interview.

The 73-year-old explained that the reason she has been able to stick to this commitment is because of her humble upbringing. She revealed her parents and grandparents lived a minimal, pared-down life.

“When my mother passed away six years ago it took us just half an hour to give away the things in her cupboard because she had just 8-10 sarees in it. When my grandma passed away 32 years ago, she had just four sarees. They travelled light on this earth and since that has been part of my upbringing, I found it easier to adopt a simpler life with fewer possessions,” the author told the Voice of Fashion.

Ever since Murty gave up shopping, she has only been wearing the saris gifted to her by her sisters or close friends, and occasionally the NGOs that she worked with. She revealed that her “most cherished possessions” are two hand-embroidered saris, which were gifted to her by the women she met and changed the life of, while working as the chairperson of the non-profit charitable organisation Infosys Foundation.

Murty also shared that her husband gifted her two simple saris for their wedding. “I was so happy to have them. I did not want more. Even today, I find it difficult to understand the seasonal trends and seasonal collections from fashion designers. How long can you go on following the dictates of fashion? I believe in possessing just enough for my basic needs and if you visit our house you will see we have very little stuff around.”