Newsroom, November 19, 2025: Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy has reignited controversy by advocating a 99.6-hour workweek, roughly 14 hours daily, six days for young Indians to propel the nation toward developed status by 2047.
In a recent podcast, Murthy argued that with India's per capita income at $2,500 versus China's $12,000, "we must work harder" to close the gap, citing his own 85-90-hour weeks in the company's early days as a model.
He urged the youth to view long hours as a patriotic duty, especially with a population advantage over ageing economies.
Critics slammed it as tone-deaf, pointing to India's 52-hour legal weekly limit and rising burnout cases among IT professionals, with many on X calling for better productivity through tech, not exhaustion.
Supporters, including some startup founders, praised the discipline ethos for a "hungry" nation.
