Narayana Murthy on UN board

Infosys chairman N R Narayana Murthy has been formally inducted into the UN Foundation Board of Directors, headed by CNN founder Ted Turner.

Murthy now joins the other members including Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General Emeritus, World Health Organization; Hisashi Owada, Judge, International Court of Justice; Emma Rothschild, Director of the Centre for History and Economics, King's College, University of Cambridge; Nafis Sadik, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General; former US Senator Timothy E. Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation; and Muhammad Yunus, Founder, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh.

Murthy's induction took place after the board hosted a reception to welcome Narayana Murthy chief mentor of Infosys to the board in his home country. The Bombay Chamber of Commerce, American Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of Indian Industry co-hosted the reception.

Turner, who heads the UN Foundation Board of Directors, is in New Delhi on a four-day visit. The aim of the board is to promote public-private partnerships besides meeting a host of business and political leaders.

Turner who was instrumental in beaming round-the-clock news on TV and more particularly real time war coverage from the battle zones to the bedrooms will host several public forums during his tour.

"We recognize how important India and the region are to a peaceful and prosperous future," said Ted Turner, Founder and Chairman of the UN Foundation.

Since 1998, the UN Foundation has invested nearly $30 million and developed public-private partnerships to support UN projects in India, addressing issues including eradicating polio, protecting Indian women and girls from HIV/AIDS, conserving India's natural resources and wildlife, and developing renewable energy for the country.

These efforts are carried out in close cooperation with the Indian government, UN Agencies, and leading Indian business and non-governmental organisations.