Narayana Murthy Addresses Row Over 70-Hour Workweek Remark, Calls It 'Personal Choice'

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy addressed the controversy surrounding his remark on a 70-hour workweek, stating on Monday that it cannot be imposed on anyone.

Speaking at the IMC Kilachand Memorial Lecture, Murthy clarified his earlier statement, which had sparked a heated debate on social media after he suggested young Indians should work 70 hours a week.

"There's nobody who can say you should do this, you should not do it," Murthy said.

Reflecting on his own work habits during the years he spent building Infosys, he shared, "I used to get to the office at 6:20 am and leave at 8:30 pm. I've done it for 40 odd years. That's a fact. So nobody can say that's wrong."

Murthy emphasised that such choices are deeply personal and not subjects for public discourse.

"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 on and do whatever they want," he remarked.

His comments come amidst a broader debate on long working hours in India, following a statement by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan advocating for a 90-hour workweek, which provoked widespread backlash.

Subrahmanyan's remarks drew criticism from prominent figures in Indian industry. Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, dismissed the idea, saying, "Let it start from the top, and if [it works] as a Proof of Concept, then implement it further down." He described the practice of measuring work hours as "archaic and regressive."

Billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, the second-richest man in India, also weighed in on the discussion about work-life balance. In an interview, Adani stated, "Your idea of work-life balance should not be imposed on me, and my work-life balance shouldn't be imposed on you."