'Used to reach office at 6.30 am and....': Narayana Murthy's latest remark on working hours

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, known for his often-debated views on work-life balance, has once again stirred the conversation by stating that while no one can force others to work long hours, individuals should introspect and decide for themselves the value of hard work.

Speaking at the annual 'Kilachand Memorial Lecture' at the IMC, Mumbai, Murthy shared his personal experience of working over 70 hours a week for more than 40 years during his tenure at Infosys. He emphasised that such topics should be a matter of personal reflection rather than public debate.

"I can say that I used to get to the office at 6:30 am and leave at 8:30 pm, that's a fact. I have done it. So, nobody can say that no, that's wrong," he said, adding, "I have done it for 40-odd years."

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His remarks come amid heightened discussions on work hours, sparked recently by Larsen and Toubro Chairman S N Subrahmanyan’s suggestion that employees should commit to 90-hour work weeks.

Murthy argued that the efforts individuals choose to make should align with societal needs, particularly the reality of widespread poverty. "That child can only be better off if I work hard, if I work smart, if I produce more revenue, if I pay more taxes," he explained, emphasising the need for hard work to improve collective living standards.

'Greedy behaviour by corporates making people lose faith'

Murthy also addressed the growing tensions and distrust in capitalism, claiming that greedy behaviour by corporates has led to people losing faith in capitalism by making them feel that free markets are tools for the rich to get richer at the expense of public welfare and exhorted fellow leaders of India Inc to "repair" the situation.

When asked about the extravagant lifestyles of some corporate leaders, Murthy refrained from judgment. If no law is being broken, it’s their choice how they spend their money. But as leaders, we must prioritise making life better for the next generation, he said.

"Compassionate capitalism is about fairness, transparency, integrity, accountability and putting the interest of the society ahead of one's own interest," he noted.

(With Inputs from PTI)