FEATURE
Madhu Sundaramurthy
Global HR director and managing director-APAC at Summa Linguae
Adding value to every action has always been my goal. What gives me great pride is that, with this recognition, I can represent the localization community in India and showcase our contribution to the growth of the industry. Indian LSPs have been working in the field of localization for many years — including localizing content into foreign languages which are not native to India.
I stumbled into the world of localization a bit serendipitously, back in 2006. My journey at Summa Linguae Technologies has given me the platform to make an impact in the industry globally. I started working in the field of translation and localization after completing my German language studies in Munich. My master’s degree in economics, combined with my German language competency naturally allowed me to step into project management roles. Changing technology and new innovations in the industry enabled me to explore the world of quality control and localization engineering. I was also instrumental in starting the Innovation Hub and introducing technology as a key driver at the workplace. I am currently working as the global HR director and MD-APAC at Summa Linguae Technologies where I play a key role in bringing people together, creating solutions that enable people to succeed. My workplace mentor and guide, Madhuri Hegde, has been instrumental in propelling me toward my objectives and goals.
ACCOLADES
There is no one I can imagine as being better qualified to represent strong entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to the art of linguistics and interpreting.
Madhu Sundaramurthy is a hard-working talented multilingual professional, and she is a great educator too.
She is my school senior and also a friend to my sister. Always admired her for boldness and the way she leads.
Madhu has an immensely strong personality, she is a lady of strong fundamentals and traditionally rooted.
In addition to working on people engagement and client satisfaction, I also volunteer at Women in Localization both in the India chapter and the global community as well as CitLoB (India). This gives me the opportunity to give back to the industry and also learn from a fascinating group of women leaders who believe in empowerment. I also volunteer at the Child Safety Community at my daughter’s school and am the president of the Resident Welfare Association in the community where I live. I support a girl’s initiative called BaaleMane in Bangalore, India. I am an avid traveler and I love to travel to remote parts of India to soak in the cultural diversities. I love to cook (my de-stress activity), am a passionate fan of Formula-1 and European soccer, and love watching them with my family while getting into some heated discussion on what winning really means. I am committed to the goal of nurturing talent for the language industry and elevating the quality of language solutions as a whole.
I’ve worked with Madhu for a few years on the Women in Localization Global Community team, which is one of the largest programs within the organization. She has grown into the program’s program director role with incredible patience, passion, joy, and perseverance. She invites discussion, debate, and disagreements with a smile on her face. She encourages participation from everyone in the team and will gently push when there is hesitation. This helps build confidence in the women that might need encouragement. She will often take a back seat so others can shine. That is true leadership. Her company, Summa Linguae, must feel the same way, as she was promoted last year to a director position. She is also a volunteer within the India chapter of Women in Localization, which serves one of the largest chapters in the WiL family. I’ve never heard her complain about anything. She takes on family, work, and volunteer challenges with a smile and laughter. She serves the localization industry with her time and talent, and I don’t believe gets the recognition she deserves. She is a leader in the industry and my personal unsung hero.
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