Congress MP Karti Chidambaram criticized Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy’s advocacy for a 70-hour work week, emphasizing that efficiency matters more than extended working hours. Murthy had stated that India’s progress requires sacrifices, including long hours, but Karti Chidambaram expressed his disagreement on social media platform X.
“Working for long hours is meaningless. Our focus should be on efficiency,” Chidambaram said. He added that daily life in India is already a struggle due to inefficient infrastructure and stressed the importance of maintaining a work-life balance for societal harmony. He even proposed a four-day workweek, from Monday noon to Friday afternoon.
This debate gained further traction after Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi also opposed Murthy’s stance. Gogoi argued that work-life balance is essential and pointed out the challenges working women face in managing both professional and personal responsibilities.
Narayan Murthy shared insights from his career, revealing that he dedicated 14 hours a day for six and a half days a week, starting his workday at 6:30 a.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m. Proud of his commitment, he later explained that his message was aimed at inspiring India’s youth to strive diligently toward making the nation a global leader.