The 78-year-old tech tycoon shared his grueling schedule, revealing he worked 14-hour days, six-and-a-half days a week for most of his career.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has slammed Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy for calling for a 70-hour work week. Speaking last month, Murthy highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reported 100-hour workweek as an example, urging Indians to work hard to contribute to the country’s development. The 78-year-old tech tycoon shared his grueling schedule, revealing that he worked 14-hour days, six-and-a-half days a week throughout much of his career.
“I am proud of it,” Murthy said, adding that young Indians should prioritize hard work to help the country overcome poverty and compete globally.
However, Chidambaram pushed back on such long working hours as “pointless”. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he argued that improving efficiency, not extending hours, is the key. “Daily life is a struggle due to poor infrastructure and facilities. Work-life balance is essential for social harmony,” he wrote, suggesting that India adopt a four-day work week.
Chidambaram’s comments echoed those of his Congress colleague Gaurav Gogoi, who recently emphasized the importance of balancing work with family responsibilities. Gogoi argued that in the modern world men should also prioritize caregiving and household duties.
Murthy, meanwhile, defended his stance, saying India needed to have higher aspirations to address poverty and improve global competitiveness. He pointed out that 800 million Indians depend on free rations and cited the productivity gap between Indian and Chinese workers.