On this labor day, I remember the great visionaries of India, who asked us to work for 70 hrs/week, 90 Hrs/week or even more. I am NOT VERY HAPPY with them, because they could have asked for at least 120 hrs/week.
If you are not working for 20 hrs/day for the monthly salary of Rs 30,000, or if you have a decent pay of $0.60/hr, why you are complaining. TCS and Infosys have this great culture. They pay you like one was paid in 2002, but they ask you to work for 100 hrs/week in 2025.
I don’t understand why you ask for work life balance. The CEOs of such companies hate work life balance. Why you care if they are paid hundreds of crores for their commander like behavior.
👇 Here are the snippets of what they said:
🧠 Narayana Murthy (Co-founder, Infosys): In 2024, Murthy reignited discussions on work ethics by suggesting that young Indians should work 70 hours a week to boost national productivity. He expressed skepticism about the concept of work-life balance, emphasizing hard work as essential for India’s progress.
🏗️ S.N. Subrahmanyan (Chairman, Larsen & Toubro): Subrahmanyan stirred controversy by expressing regret over not being able to make staff work on Sundays, implying a desire for a 90-hour workweek. His remarks faced significant backlash, with critics highlighting the unrealistic and harmful nature of such expectations.
🚕 Bhavish Aggarwal (co-founder and CEO of Ola): He has been a prominent advocate for extended working hours in India, aligning with Infosys founder Narayana Murthy’s call for a 70-hour workweek. In a 2024 interview with ANI, Aggarwal expressed his full support for this idea, stating: “I should do more, and I’m fully in sync with his (Murthy’s) direction to the youth.” He further emphasized his commitment by revealing that he personally works 20 hours a day, seven days a week.
His views on Work-Life Balance : Aggarwal has also challenged conventional notions of work-life balance. “I don’t think work-life balance is the right construct. This Saturday-Sunday off is not an Indian thing; this is a western thing.” He argued that the concept of weekend rest days originated from the Industrial Revolution in the West and doesn’t align with India’s traditional work culture. Aggarwal believes that if individuals enjoy their work, they will find happiness in both life and work, rendering the idea of a strict work-life separation unnecessary.
💼 Harsh Goenka (Chairman, RPG Group): Goenka has been a vocal advocate for work-life balance. He criticized the glorification of long working hours, stating that turning life into a perpetual office shift leads to burnout. He emphasized the importance of flexibility and hybrid work models.
🏢 Ashwin Yardi (CEO, Capgemini India):
Yardi advocated for a structured work schedule, promoting a 47.5-hour workweek and discouraging weekend emails. He emphasized the importance of respecting personal time and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
🧘 Rohit Kapoor (CEO, Swiggy):Kapoor challenged the hustle culture by highlighting the unproductiveness of sacrificing health and relationships for late-night work sessions. He encouraged prioritizing family time and criticized the normalization of overworking.
💡 Nalin Negi (CEO, BharatPe) :Negi emphasized that the quality of work is more important than the number of hours clocked. He stated that a 90-hour workweek is impractical and highlighted the significance of creating an employee-friendly environment.
🧭 Anand Mahindra (Chairman, Mahindra Group) : Mahindra weighed in on the debate by asserting that the focus should not be on the quantity of hours worked but on the quality and passion brought to those hours. He emphasized the importance of meaningful contributions over long work hours.
What is your take on this ?
BIHARI CHAUPAL 
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