Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy sparked a debate by advising youth to work for 70 weeks. He reportedly clarified Monday that no one can dictate such a commitment — it calls for private discourse, not public discourse.
Murthy, reflecting on his career, said: “I go to the office at 6:30 in the morning and leave at 8:30 at night. I've been doing it for 40 years. It is true.” After delivering the Kilachand Memorial Lecture at the IMC, he added, “These are not matters for debate. They are deeply personal decisions. No one can say you should or shouldn't do it.
Murthy's comments come amid growing discussion on work-life balance, given L&T chairman SN Subramanian's recent call for a 90-hour work week. Murthy framed the conversation purely: the moral responsibility to uplift the nation's poor.
“A child living in poverty can only have a better future if I work hard, work smart, generate income and pay taxes,” he said.
He drew from the sociological work of Max Weber to emphasize that hard work, discipline and moral values lead to national success.
For India, where 60% of the population depends on free food grain programs, he argued, such efforts are not merely personal—they are essential to economic strength.
Murthy also addressed concerns about the credibility of capitalism, citing corporate greed as the root cause of public distrust. “We need compassionate capitalism – fairness, transparency, integrity and putting society's interests ahead of personal gain,” he said.
He urged business leaders to embrace this ethos for survival, warning that corporations cannot thrive in failed societies.
On questions about the lavish lifestyles of corporate leaders, Murthy dismissed the judgement, saying, “It is their right to spend their money as they wish, provided they are not breaking any laws.” However, he reiterated that civil society prioritizes improving the lives of future generations, and urged corporate India to adopt a long-term, socially responsible approach.