Hosur Narayan Murthy (H. N. Murthy) () (1924–2011) was an Indian clinical psychologist, writer, philosopher, Sanskrit scholar and teacher who headed the department of clinical psychology at National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) at Bangalore. He was born in the city of Bangalore in 1924 to Brahmin parents Hosur Ramaswamaiah Subba Rao and smt Rajamma. Murthy's father was an official at "Iron and Steel Plant" at Bhadravathi town in Karnataka.
Education
Murthy finished his basic schooling at Bhadravathi before coming to Mysore for his college education. While in Mysore, Murthy enrolled into the Maharaja's College, Mysore to pursue his bachelor's degree (B.A.) in psychology under the professorship of Dr M.V.Gopalaswamy. His dissertation for the bachelor's degree at Maharaja's College, Mysore was "National Stereotypes" – a comparative study of how Indians perceive foreigners and how foreigners perceive Indians (the stereotyped impressions of each other). On completion in 1952, Murthy was awarded the "Bhabha Memorial Gold Medal" for the best scholar in psychology and philosophy.
M.V.Gopalaswamy
Dr M.V.Gopalaswamy, mentor and professor to Murthy, was among the founding fathers of Department of Psychology at University of Mysore (1924). A student of Dr Charles Spearman under whom he secured his PhD in London, M.V.Gopalaswamy returned to India with a stand-alone transponder with which he started the first amateur radio station. He is credited with coining the term "Akashvani" for All India Radio., An avid reader and intellectual, Gopalaswamy's interests in "Tantra Philosophy" and "Modern Psychology" saw him spend hours with another distinguished historian at University of Mysore – S. Srikanta Sastri (shown together in photograph). Incidentally, Murthy happens to be S. Srikanta Sastri's nephew.
Murthy would secure his master's degree (M.A.) in psychology under Dr M.V.Gopalaswamy in 1954 at University of Mysore whereafter he occupied positions at "Ranchi European Lunatic Asylum" and "Mysore State Mental Hospital" before pursuing a doctoral study abroad.
Doctoral studies
After securing his master's degree in psychology from University of Mysore, Murthy gained admission into "Katholieke Universiteit Leuven" or the "Catholic University of Leuven", Belgium to pursue his doctoral studies in psychology for the award of a PhD.His subject chosen was "Causality in Experimental Psychology". In addition to the award of a PhD, the title of "Professor Excelsior" was conferred on Murthy. While in Europe, Murthy perfected the nuances of "Behavioural therapy" and would later work on adapting the same to Indian conditions back home. His keen interest in Manic Depressive Psychosis and Schizophrenia probably stemmed forth while at Leuven.