Key Points
- Murthy is disappointed by India’s move to a five-day workweek in 1986.
- He believes hard work is critical for national growth and personal success.
- Murthy uses PM Modi’s long working hours as an example to follow.
- He encourages millennials to work 70+ hours per week for India’s progress.
- Murthy compares India’s work ethic to post-WWII Germany and Japan’s recovery.
Looma News
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has once again spoken about the importance of hard work, sharing his disappointment with India’s shift to a five-day workweek in 1986. During the CNBC Global Leadership Summit, Murthy told Shereen Bhan that his views on work-life balance have not changed, and that he will continue to hold this belief “to his grave.” For Murthy, hard work is essential to the country’s progress, and he believes that without putting in significant effort, India will struggle to turn its ambitions into reality.
Murthy pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is known for working 100-hour weeks, as an example of dedication. He stressed that to honor Modi’s work ethic, others should work just as hard. Murthy argued that India’s growth requires sacrifice, not relaxation. Reflecting on his own career, he shared that he worked 14-hour days and six and a half days a week, arriving at the office by 6:30 a.m. and leaving around 8:40 p.m. He is proud of his work ethic and believes it is a core part of Indian culture, something people should embrace, especially those who benefit from subsidized education.
Murthy’s views on work-life balance have drawn criticism, particularly after he suggested last year that millennials should work at least 70 hours a week. However, he remains unapologetic, repeating that hard work is essential and cannot be replaced, no matter how talented someone is. Murthy also compared India’s work ethic to the rebuilding efforts of Germany and Japan after World War II, saying that young Indians owe it to themselves and the country to put in similar efforts to help India grow.
