'Men & Women Are Equal But In Different Ways': Sudha Murty's Insightful View On Gender Equality

“In my view, men and women are equal but in different ways. They complement each other like two wheels of a bicycle; you can't move forward without the other,” Murty wrote in a post on X

Author and philanthropist Sudha Murty engaged in a thought-provoking dialogue on gender equality, offering a nuanced perspective that highlighted the distinct yet complementary roles of men and women. Murty's comparison of life to a cart or bicycle with two wheels effectively encapsulates her belief in the importance of both genders collaborating harmoniously for societal advancement.

“In my view, men and women are equal but in different ways. They complement each other like two wheels of a bicycle; you can't move forward without the other,” Murty wrote in a post on X, sharing a video.

"What is equality, you should define first," Murty stated in a video posted on X, underscoring the significance of recognising the inherent differences between genders. She emphasised that each gender possesses unique strengths and weaknesses, contributing to the overall harmony of life.

"Life is like a cart, or a bicycle. There are two wheels. One wheel is male, the other one is female. You require both wheels to move. You can't say, I don't want the other wheel at all. Because life is not progressive,” she said in the video.

Based on her experience, Murty expanded on the unique attributes commonly attributed to women and men. She commended women for their linguistic prowess, managerial acumen, and innate capabilities in compassion and nurturing.

"Women are normally very good at language, excellent managers, excellent board managers. They are compassionately quiet, largely. They give love to mother, father, brother, sister, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, children. Look at all these relationships. She is always a giver of soft feelings and compassion and love,” she said.

In contrast, Murty observed the distinctions in emotional intelligence (EQ) between men and women, suggesting that while men may excel in intelligence quotient (IQ), their EQ often does not match that of women. "Men are different. Their emotional quotient is not like women's emotional quotient. They may have good IQ, but definitely not a great EQ," she remarked.

In a separate tweet on Tuesday, Murty recalled a day when she received a call from the late President APJ Abdul Kalam. Initially, she thought the call was meant for her husband, Narayana Murthy, and was made by mistake. However, it turned out that President Kalam had called to commend one of her columns published in a prominent daily newspaper.