Sudha Murthy Responds To Narayana Murthy's '70-hour workweek' Remark: Passion Drives Dedication

Sudha Murthy recently addressed the debate surrounding her husband, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy's suggestion that young professionals should work 70-hour weeks. Speaking for the first time on the issue, she emphasized that when people are truly passionate about their work, time ceases to be a limitation.

In an interview with NDTV, Sudha Murthy reflected on how dedication and perseverance were key in building Infosys. She shared that during the early days of the company, Narayana Murthy often worked more than 70 hours per week. "There's no magic wand that could make Infosys so large. It was sheer hard work, part of luck, and being at the right place at the right time," she explained.

She also spoke about the personal sacrifices made during that period, acknowledging that she took on the responsibility of balancing family life while her husband focused on his work. "I made that decision, and I also decided there was no point in complaining. He was working toward something bigger," she said.

Sudha Murthy pointed out that this level of dedication is not unique to her husband. Professionals in demanding fields like medicine and journalism also work long hours to achieve their goals. Rather than dwelling on her husband's absence, she chose to stay engaged by focusing on her writing. "God has given 24 hours to everyone, whether rich or poor, beautiful or not. How you choose to spend it is up to you. Passionate work requires time, and if you are committed to it, your partner should support it," she stated.

Narayana Murthy's 2023 podcast remarks, where he suggested that Indian youth should consider working 70-hour weeks to improve the country's productivity, had sparked widespread debate on work-life balance. Drawing comparisons to Germans and Japanese during World War II, he argued that India's productivity was among the lowest in the world, fueling discussions about work culture and personal well-being.