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Narayana Murthy Clarifies His ’70-Hour Workweek’ Remark

Narayana Murthy Clarifies His '70-Hour Workweek' Remark

Business tycoon Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has once again sparked the 70-hour workweek debate. Murthy, who once suggested that young professionals work 70 hours a week, has now issued a clarification. On Monday, he clarified that no one can dictate such a commitment, He said that such a schedule “was his personal choice” and should not be forced on anyone.

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Citing his experience, the Infosys co-founder revealed that he worked with a routine. Murthy shared an instance of his own career. He said and I quote, “I used to get to the office at 6:30 am and leave at 8:30 pm. I’ve done it for 40-odd years. That’s a fact.” This comes after Murthy delivered the Kilachand Memorial Lecture at IMC.

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According to reports after getting too much heat, Murthy emphasized that his suggestion was not meant to impose pressure on anyone. Instead, he encouraged people to make decisions based on their unique situations and needs.

Murthy cleared the air about his 70-hour workweek remark he made last year. He said that no one can forcefully implement it on others. During the lecture, he also added “These are not matters for debate. They are deeply personal decisions. No one can say, ‘You should or shouldn’t do it.”

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Narayan Murthy in his speech said, “The question of stark poverty and inequity in our country has been troubling me right from that day when I spent lonely, hungry, cold, angry, and introspective 21 hours in the goods compartment on a freight train from Nis in now Serbia to Istanbul, way back in 1974 on my hitch-hiking trip, returning back to India after my job in Paris”.

Murthy pointed to his own life and work as proof of how entrepreneurship can address poverty. “I have had some success in demonstrating the power of entrepreneurship in solving the problem of poverty through my experiment of creating Infosys,” he said.

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However, his optimism is tempered by the challenges that remain. “There is not a single day when I do not feel confused, helpless, agitated, and motivated that our leaders will find a solution to this problem.”

According to reports, earlier, in the lecture, Murthy borrowed from German sociologist Max Weber’s work. He said, “I believe that decent and hardworking people with high aspirations, some smartness, much hard work, discipline, and good values create successful nations despite all the odds”. He also said, “60 percent of Indians still depend on free food grains every month, underlining that such stark poverty is not an attribute of an economically strong country”.

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Murthy mentioned the significance of linking one’s efforts to societal impact. “If our hard work can improve a child’s future, it is a significant achievement,” he said.

He added, “If I work hard, generate more revenue, and pay more taxes, it will help improve the lives of children in need.” Murthy reiterated that the 70-hour workweek was merely a personal anecdote and not a directive. He concluded by stating that the value of one’s work should be measured by its benefit to society rather than the number of hours spent working.

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During the lecture, Murthy also addressed concerns about corporate greed, highlighting its role in eroding public trust in capitalism. He urged business leaders to embrace “compassionate capitalism,” a model that prioritizes both profit and societal well-being, as a means to rebuild trust and ensure sustainable development.

“These are not issues that should be discussed and debated. These are issues that one can introspect on, one can ingest and one can come to some conclusion and do whatever they want,” he added. “There is nobody who can say ‘you should do it, you should not do it”.

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However, Murthy’s clarification comes amid heightened pressure on the same topic. Recently Larsen and Toubro Chairman S N Subrahmanyan made similar remarks asking employees to put in 90 hours a week. He said “If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be happier. Because I work on Sunday also.’ “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wife stare at the husband? Come on, get to the office and start working, he said.

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The comments from the L&T Chairman sparked reactions from India’s incorporated top leaders, with most criticizing the comment. Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, said, “Let it start from the top, and if it works as a Proof of Concept, then implement it further down.” He called the practice of measuring work hours “archaic and regressive.”

The second-richest man in India, billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, also shared his views on work-life balance. In an interview, Adani said, “Your idea of work-life balance should not be imposed on me, and my work-life balance shouldn’t be imposed on you.”

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Highlighting the importance of family time, Adani encouraged everyone to spend at least four hours a day with their families. Adding a touch of humor, he warned of the consequences of neglecting personal relationships, saying, “Your wife might leave you”.

Similarly, Namita Thapar, Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals and a prominent investor on Shark Tank India, has also voiced her support for a balanced work culture. Speaking in a widely circulated interview with Humans of Bombay, Thapar criticized the expectation for employees to work excessively long hours.

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She said, “I completely disagree… For founders and high stakeholders who earn substantial sums, go for it. Work 24 hours a day forever. But for the common man and woman, they need specified work hours”.

Narayan Murthy, born on August 20, 1946, in Sidlaghatta, Karnataka, hailed from a middle-class family. He attended a government school and earned his B. Tech degree from the University of Mysore and later pursued his Masters from IIT Kanpur in 1969.

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Rejecting high-paying jobs, Murthy chose to take on the challenging role of Chief Systems Programmer at IIM-A. Here he worked under Professor J. Krishnayya on India’s first time-sharing computing system. Later in 1981, he co-founded Infosys, a company that has played a significant role in India’s tech-driven growth.

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