Swaminathan Gurumurthy is highly popular as a writer and journalist in India. Celebrated for his investigative journalism, he has ceaselessly campaigned against corruption at high places, exposing the bribery in Bofors arms deal and the nexus between corporates and government. A beleaguered government arrested Gurumurthy and persecuted him, but faced humiliation with the entire media standing by him. The issues raised by Gurumurthy became election issues, which led to the defeat of the most powerful government since independence. Hamish McDonald, well-known Australian journalist, wrote in his book 'Polyester Prince', that Gurumurthy’s investigative work 'must rank among the most powerful examples of investigative journalism anywhere in the world', adding that Gurumurthy had 'a strong sense of probity'. Business Baron magazine rated Gurumurthy’s knowledge of economics, finance and accounts as ‘outstanding’. In his biography on the media baron Ramnath Goenka, BG Verghese, a highly respected editor and writer, described Gurumurthy as a 'brilliant chartered accountant and exceedingly astute amateur lawyer'. Gurumurthy is the Visiting Faculty of IIT Bombay in the domains of Economics, Finance and Management. He is also the Distinguished Professor Legal Anthropology in Sastra University. A chartered accountant by profession Gurumurthy is also a corporate adviser of high standing. Gurumurthy has been consistently seen by the media as a powerful from 1990 till now. He was rated among 50 most powerful persons in India. In 1990 [Gentleman magazine]; as the 8th most powerful [Business Baron magazine 2004]; as the 17th most powerful [India Today magazine in 2005]; as the 50th most powerful person [India Today 2015]; as the 25th most powerful person [India Today 2016] and as the 30th most powerful person [India Today 2017]. Yet, on the advice of his spiritual Guru, the Sankarcharya of Kanchipuram, he has kept away from all positions of power offered to him by different governments, corporates and others. One of the founders of the Vivekananda International Foundation, Gurumurthy is also the chairman of its board of trustees.