Why billionaire Narayana Murthy's wife Sudha Murty travels economy class over business despite their massive wealth?

Author-philanthropist Sudha Murty has often advocated simple living and high thinking. Despite being the wife of billionaire Narayana Murthy, her belief system underscores her humility and value for money. Recently, she revealed that her husband insists her on travelling in business class but she spends on philanthropy.

Sudha, along with Narayana appeared as a guest on the popular comedy show, The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show. When the comedian asked the author what the points of disagreements in their marital life are. Narayana said, “She is very careful about money. She spends on philanthropy but not on our comfort.” Sudha further added, “He does shopping. What do we need in life? Good food, not like chana bhatura, but good, healthy food. We don’t need so many clothes. I spend all money on philanthropy. He’ll tell me to buy business class tickets, but I say, ‘Why? I will reach the same destination, at the same time with an economy ticket too.’”

Sudha also elaborated on a past incident where she was called, ‘cattle-class’  at the airport. She described how people in the business class queue looked at her salwar kameez. "Chaar paanch saal pehle mein salwar kameez pehni thi aur business class ka ticket tha mere paas. Mein us queue mein khadi thi, toh unko laga ki salwaar kameez pehen liya toh didi he, behenji he... Aare cattle-class log he. Unko kya pata he economy ke logo ko business class mein ane.. Mein jaake unko puch liya, ki what is 'cattle-class'?" (Around 4-5 years ago, I had worn a salwar kameez and was standing on the business class queue, so they thought I am poor and told, 'Oh they are cattle-class people. How will they know what is business class? So I went up to them and asked 'What is cattle-class?), she said. 

Meanwhile, Sudha got married to Narayana Murthy in his house on February 10, 1978 in Bengaluru, in the presence of only two families. The couple has a daughter, Akshata Murty, who is married to former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.