NR Narayana Murthy, believed to be worth $4.2 billion and Rishi Sunak's father-in-law, is advocating for a 70-hour workweek in his home country to support its development.

In a podcast discussion, Murthy has been criticized for promoting what some consider a "toxic" work culture, urging young workers to put in ten hours a day, seven days a week, or even 14 hours a day with a weekend.

He expressed concern over India's low work productivity compared to other countries that have made significant progress, stating, "Unless we improve our work productivity… we will not be able to compete with those countries that have made tremendous progress."

He further added, "So, therefore, my request is that our youngsters must say, 'This is my country. I'd like to work 70 hours a week.'"

After his comments gained widespread attention, Murthy faced criticism for setting unrealistic expectations for employers and their workforce.

Critics highlighted the relatively low starting salaries in Indian technology companies, including Infosys, which Murthy co-founded.

Others pointed out the potential physical and mental health issues that could arise from working without breaks, such as a lack of time for socializing, family interaction, exercise, or recreation. Some also noted the expectation for employees to respond to emails and calls outside of regular work hours.

Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy, a cardiologist based in Bengaluru, commented, "Then wonder why young people are getting heart attacks?"

Prem Sikka expressed concern that such proposals would "work people to death" and suggested that providing workers with good wages and job security is a more effective way to enhance productivity, emphasizing that hungry and deprived workers are unlikely to be highly productive. He added, "You can't take it with you." Photo by Rupeshsarkar, Wikimedia commons.