‘Don’t believe in work-life balance’: Infosys’ Narayana Murthy says no going back on 70-hour workweek remark
“I don’t believe in work-life balance… I have not changed my view; I will take this with me to my grave,” he told CNBC-TV18 at the Global Leadership Summit in Mumbai on Thursday, November 14.
Murthy said he was a bit disappointed when, back in 1986, companies moved from a six-day work week to a five-day work week.
“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 said.
Infosys founder revealed that he used to go to the office at 6:20 am every day and return at 8:30 pm, which was over 14 hours of work a day. He added that he worked for 6.5 days a week till he retired and that he is very proud of it. And therefore, he is not going back on his statement that the ‘youngsters must work 70 hours a week.’
In a free-wheeling conversation with CNBC-TV18’s Managing Editor Shereen Bhan, Murthy recalled how KV Kamath had responded to a question about his views of work-life balance nearly 25 years ago.
“I don’t believe in work-life balance,” declares Infosys’ Narayana Murthy as he defends his infamous ’70-hour work-week’ comment while talking to Shereen Bhan at CNBC TV18’s Global Leadership Summit#CNBCTV18GLS #CNBCTV18at25 #cnbctv18digital @ShereenBhan pic.twitter.com/Hcrej8DUkw
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) November 14, 2024
The Infosys co-founder shared that Kamath had then said India was a poor country with a lot of challenges. “First we have to get a life, then we can worry about work-life balance,” he shared.
Adding to Kamath’s perspective, Murthy said he believes that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working very hard, probably 100 hours a week, and so are his cabinet ministers and bureaucrats, the only way citizens can show their appreciation is by working hard.
These remarks come a year after the billionaire founder of Infosys said that the youth form the majority of India’s population and, as such, must shoulder the responsibility for India’s progress.
Also Read: When Narayana Murthy said we have to work hard, we owe it to the less fortunate
The culture in India, he said, must change to that of discipline, hard work and determination—because without that, the government will only be able to do so much.
Once again, his latest comments at the CNBC-TV18 Global Leadership Summit have gone viral with industry leaders, working professionals and mental health experts back at debating the need for work-life balance.
Also Read: Infosys co-founder N Narayana Murthy’s ‘big regret’
