Narayan Murthy Reiterates His Belief Of Working Close To 70 Hours A WeeK Upon A Summit

Narayan Murthy, co-founder of Infosys, reaffirmed his position on the controversy over longer workdays, stating that he does not support the idea of "work-life balance." At the CNBC Global Leadership Summit, Murthy, who ignited a debate by arguing that Indians should work seventy hours a week, remained true to his position.

Murthy referenced a statement made by KV Kamath, the Independent Director and Non-Executive Chairman of Jio Financial Services, when he was questioned about his opinions on work-life balance. Kamath had recommended that instead of stressing about striking a work-life balance, India, a developing nation dealing with many difficulties, should concentrate its attention and efforts on resolving these problems.
Murthy also conveyed his dissatisfaction with the present standard of a five-day workweek.

He also expressed his disbelief over work-life balance, “ I was very disappointed when in 1986 we shifted from six-day work week to five-day work week,” he said.

He gave Prime Minister Narendra Modi's example to make his point why Indians should put in extra hours on work.

“When PM Modi is working 100 hours a week, the only way to show our appreciation for the things that are happening around us is by our work,” he said.
“In India, there is no alternative to hard work. You have to work very hard even if you are smart. I am proud of having worked hard all my life. So I'm sorry I have not changed my view, I will take this opinion to the grave,” Murthy said at the event.

In clear cut words, Murthy explained that the only way for India to succeed is through hard work without wavering in his position. He supported his argument by giving the example of how he used to work more than 14 hours a day, six and a half days a week, to fulfil his professional obligations. According to Murthy, he used to leave his house at 6:30 a.m. and return after 8:30 p.m. until he retired.