Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy refused to back down from his controversial stance on extended working hours, offering an unapologetic “I am sorry, I have not changed my view.” The tech veteran, who sparked nationwide debate last year by urging Indian youth to work 70-hour weeks, declared he would take this belief “to my grave.”
“I don’t believe in work-life balance… I have not changed my view,” Murthy told CNBC-TV18 at the Global Leadership Summit. He cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s reported 100-hour workweeks, suggesting citizens should match such dedication. “I will take this with me to my grave,” he added.
“I am sorry, I have not changed my view. I will take this with me to my grave,” he added, standing firm on his controversial stance from last year that sparked nationwide debate on workplace culture.
He maintains that his controversial advice stems from personal experience. The 78-year-old tech pioneer revealed his own rigorous work schedule during his tenure at Infosys, arriving at the office at 6:20 AM and leaving at 8:30 PM, working six and a half days weekly until retirement. “I’m proud of it,” he stated.
Murthy expressed dissatisfaction with India’s 1986 transition from a six-day to five-day workweek. “I was not very happy with that. I think in this country, we have to work very hard because there is no substitute for hard work even if you’re the most intelligent guy,” he emphasised.
The statement follows his comments from last year in an conversation with Mohandas Pai urging Indian youth to work 70 hours weekly to boost national productivity and compete globally. “India’s work productivity is one of the lowest in the world… So therefore, my request is that our youngsters must say, ‘this is my country, I want to work 70 hours a week,’” Murthy said.
Those remarks sparked intense debate across industry sectors, drawing both criticism and support from business leaders.
This is not the first time Murthy has defended his position. He had highlighted earlier that he worked 85-90 hours weekly until 1994 when Infosys maintained a six-day schedule. He argued that individuals who received subsidised education have an obligation to work harder for India’s less privileged citizens.
His wife, Sudha Murty, has also supported his stance by sharing that her father exceeded 70 working hours weekly, and her sister, a doctor, maintains similar hours.
Murthy says that he received support from various quarters: “A lot of my western friends, a lot of NRIs, and a lot of good people in India called me, and without exception, they were all very happy with my advice.”
The tech veteran has consistently emphasised India’s need to increase work productivity to compete with rapidly developing nations, advocating for reduced bureaucratic delays and corruption while encouraging youth to embrace longer working hours.