Sudha Murthy-Sambhaji Bhide encounter raises eyebrows
Mumbai, Nov 8: A video showing author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy bowing before the leader of a right wing outfit in Maharashtra has gone viral, evoking sharp reactions.
Sambhaji Bhide, whose feet the wife of Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy is seen touching in the video, was recently served a notice by the State Women's Commission for refusing to talk to a woman journalist because she had no bindi' on her forehead.
Bhide had asked the woman journalist to apply bindi' before speaking to him and not be "like a widow" by not applying the coloured dot/sticker on the centre of the forehead.
The latest viral video is from Sangli in western Maharashtra, where Sudha Murthy was on Monday to interact with her readers at a promotional event of her books, many of which have been translated into Marathi.
A functionary of Bhide's Shiv Pratishthan outfit said his leader met Sudha Murthy for help in installation of a golden throne at Raigad fort, the erstwhile capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
However, an aide to Sudha Murthy, mother-in-law of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said the author wasn't aware who Bhide was and had bowed to him out of respect for a senior citizen.
Yojana Yadav, editorial head at Mehta Publishing House which organized the Sangli event claimed local police insisted that Bhide should be allowed to meet Sudha, despite not being invited for the event.
"Sudha Murthy had refused to meet anyone but Bhide's supporters arrived at the event without any invitation. With the presence of a large number of Bhide's supporters outside the auditorium, the local police came under pressure and requested us to let Bhide met Murthy, who was then interacting with the readers," Yadav told PTI.
"The pressure was so much that a visibly annoyed Sudha Murthy had to discontinue her interaction with her readers and went out to meet Bhide. She was not aware who Bhide was, so she asked me his age. She bowed before him out of respect accorded to elders," she said.
"She later told me that Bhide wanted to speak to her for one and a half hours but she told him that she did not have more than one and a half minute for him," Yadav said.
Yadav also said that she later cautioned Sudha Murthy that the visual of that meeting with Bhide could be used for propaganda.
Reacting to the meeting, senior journalist Nikhil Wagle tweeted, "What was achieved by touching the feet of such a meeting such a notorious person?"
Aam Aadmi Party national executive member Preeti Sharma Menon tweeted, "Trust she wore a bindi. When people like Sudha Murthy meet bigots like Bhide, they reveal their true colours."
Social activist Vishwambhar Choudhari tweeted," There is something messed up with us, or else Sudha Murthy would not have buckled under pressure to meet Bhide, leave aside touching his feet."
Maharashtra | Author & philanthropist Sudha Murthy met and took blessings from Shiv Pratishthan founder Sambhajirao Bhide during an event in Sangli yesterday pic.twitter.com/VYm34y1MNI
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2022
सुधा मूर्ती यांनीच हा व्हिडिओ ट्विटरवर टाकलाय. जर नाईलाजाने भेट झाली तर अशा बदनाम माणसाच्या पाया पडून काय साध्य झालं? https://t.co/ri3xBG2h7r
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) November 8, 2022
Trust she wore a #Bindi.
— Preeti Sharma Menon (@PreetiSMenon) November 8, 2022
When people like Sudha Murthy meet bigots like Bhide, they reveal their true colours. https://t.co/U8evfkejRQ
— Sudha_murthy (@sudhamurty) November 8, 2022
Once upon a time, she questioned ‘only men’ policy of TELCO and stood against men dominance
— Punam Singh✨ (@Its_punam) November 8, 2022
Now taking blessings from a man who refused to talk a journalist cos she was not wearing a Bindi
What a fall Mrs Sudha Murthy 😞😞 https://t.co/PcNjdr9QTl
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India, Jamaica agree to boost trade, skilled mobility: Jaishankar
Kingston (PTI): India and Jamaica agreed to further strengthen trade linkages and explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including healthcare workers and teachers, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.
Addressing a joint press conference here after talks with his Jamaican counterpart Kamina J Smith on Monday, Jaishankar said the discussions were comprehensive, and they reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties, identifying new avenues to deepen the partnership.
"We signed several important agreements and discussed effective implementations of MOUs which have been recently concluded in the fields of digital transformation, cultural exchange, sports and digital payments to ensure tangible outcomes on the ground," he said.
India recognised Jamaica's growing role as a logistics hub and gateway to the Caribbean for trade and investment, Jaishankar said.
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"We agreed to further strengthen trade, business and investment linkages, explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including nurses, healthcare workers and teachers," he said.
The two sides also discussed expanding cooperation in defence and security, healthcare, digitisation, agriculture, education and infrastructure, the minister said.
Highlighting development cooperation as a key pillar of ties, Jaishankar noted the successful completion of the Improving Rural Livelihoods Project in Kitson Town in March 2026, implemented with Indian assistance of USD 1 million under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, benefiting over 200 individuals and impacting thousands more.
He said India is also discussing the feasibility of establishing an artisan empowerment hub in Jamaica and reiterated support for the country's recovery following Hurricane Melissa.
As part of humanitarian assistance, India has supplied relief material, deployed a medical team and is in the process of providing 30 dialysis units. It is also sending 40 fishing boats and 200 GPS units to aid recovery efforts.
The ministers reaffirmed close cooperation in multilateral fora and discussed issues such as reformed multilateralism, climate justice and priorities of the Global South.
India appreciated Jamaica’s support for its candidature for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for 2028-29.
Both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and called for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Jaishankar also highlighted growing people-to-people ties, noting the popularity of yoga and Ayurveda in Jamaica and the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the country’s development.
He announced a contribution of two million Jamaican dollars towards celebrations marking 181 years of the arrival of Indians in Jamaica on India Heritage Day.
According to the website of the High Commission of India in Kingston, Jamaica has an Indian diaspora of around 70,000 people whose forefathers came mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as indentured labour between 1845 and 1917. Some also came from South India.
The diaspora constitutes around 3 per cent of Jamaica's population and continues to nurture an abiding interest in Indian culture, music, dance and history, serving as a cultural bridge between the two countries. May 10 is observed as India Heritage Day in Jamaica.
Later in the day, Jaishankar interacted with Jamaica’s industry and business leaders, underlining the need to deepen economic engagement as countries diversify partnerships globally.
“Emphasised that as we all diversify and seek reliable partners, the imperative to deepen India-Jamaica business ties is that much stronger,” he said in a social media post, noting that the potential for bilateral and regional economic cooperation should be "explored more vigorously".
He also appreciated Industry Minister Aubyn Hill for convening the interaction with business leaders.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
