![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/sudha-murty-why-her-comment-over-spoons-divided-indians/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/130559466_gettyimages-90521388-594x594-1.jpg&description=Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Sudha Murty with her husband Narayana Murthy Food is used across the world to unite people. But in India, a comment from popular author, philanthropist and educator Sudha Murty on her food habits has set social media abuzz with a lively debate about vegetarianism. The lives of Ms Murty and her husband - Indian software billionaire NR Narayana Murthy - have been under a lot more scrutiny ever since their son-in-law Rishi Sunak became the prime minister of Britain. But the 72-year-old mother and grandmother's recent remark - made on a popular food show called "Khaane Mein Kya Hai?", which roughly translates to "What's for lunch/dinner?" - has seen her name trend on Twitter for three full days. Describing herself as "a pure vegetarian" who doesn't even eat eggs, Ms Murty said that on her travels abroad, she often carried her own food and that "one of my biggest fears is that the same spoon may have been used for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes". "So when I travel, I look for a pure vegetarian restaurant. And I carry an entire bag full of food. I used to tease my grannies decades ago when they would carry their own food. I used to ask them why can't you eat the food that's available there? But now I behave like them," she added. The video of her comment has gone viral on social media, with voices evenly divided between those criticising and defending her. Her calling herself a "pure vegetarian" - a description that millions of Indians use to distinguish themselves from those who identify as vegetarians but eat egg - has riled many who say it's rooted in the notions of purity dictated by the caste system and shows her upper-caste Brahmanical sensibilities. Even though some historians say Brahmins in parts of India traditionally ate meat - and many still do - being a vegetarian has somehow come to be associated with purity. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Sudha Murty's daughter Akshata is married to British Pri){kind=link}
Food is used across the world to unite people. But in India, a comment from popular author, philanthropist and educator Sudha Murty on her food habits has set social media abuzz with a lively debate about vegetarianism.
The lives of Ms Murty and her husband – Indian software billionaire NR Narayana Murthy – have been under a lot more scrutiny ever since their son-in-law Rishi Sunak became the prime minister of Britain.
But the 72-year-old mother and grandmother’s recent remark – made on a popular food show called “Khaane Mein Kya Hai?”, which roughly translates to “What’s for lunch/dinner?” – has seen her name trend on Twitter for three full days.
Describing herself as “a pure vegetarian” who doesn’t even eat eggs, Ms Murty said that on her travels abroad, she often carried her own food and that “one of my biggest fears is that the same spoon may have been used for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes”.
“So when I travel, I look for a pure vegetarian restaurant. And I carry an entire bag full of food. I used to tease my grannies decades ago when they would carry their own food. I used to ask them why can’t you eat the food that’s available there? But now I behave like them,” she added.