How much should Indians be working? The simmering debate ignited months ago by Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy backing a 70-hour work week erupted afresh on Thursday, with Larsen & Toubro chairman S N Subrahmanyan evoking online outrage with his comments advocating a 90-hour week and suggesting that employees should report to work on Sundays.
“How long can you stare at your wife,” he is heard saying in a purported video address to employees where he urged them to spend less time at home and more in the office.
This is India’s decade, chairman’s remarks reflect this ambition: L&T
To back his stand, Subrahmanyan cited an anecdote, referring to a conversation with a Chinese professional. “Chinese people work 90 hours a week, while Americans work only 50 hours a week. If you have got to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week,” he said in the undated video.
The remarks reignited the ongoing debate about leadership expectations, productivity, employee well-being, and even compensation, coming at a time when most CEOs are emphasising the importance of work-life balance. They have again drawn attention to the intense work culture advocated by prominent billionaires and tech honchos, including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who, despite their different approaches, have all been associated with demanding work environments. While advocating a 70-hour work week, Narayana Murthy had said he does not believe in the concept of ‘work-life balance’.
Apart from netizens, some business leaders also questioned the L&T chief’s stand. “Ninety hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’ and make ‘day off’ a mythical concept! Working hard and smart is what I believe in, but turning life into a perpetual office shift? That’s a recipe for burnout, not success…,” RPG Enterprises chairman Harsh Goenka posted on X.
The company defended its chairman’s views. “At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. For over eight decades, we have been shaping India’s infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities. We believe this is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress…,” a spokesperson said.
