Infosys boss Narayan Murthy stands by 70-hour work week, says ‘used to be in office at 6:20 am’

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy reaffirmed his belief in the importance of hard work, disclosing that during the establishment of Infosys until 1994, he dedicated a staggering 85 to 90 hours per week to his work.

"I used to be in the office at 6:20 am and leave office at 8:30 pm and worked six days a week," Murthy shared according to multiple media reports, emphasizing his commitment to long hours. He attributed his work ethic to the teachings of his parents, who emphasized the necessity of working "very, very hard" to escape poverty.

Throughout his 40-plus years of professional life, Murthy asserted that he consistently worked 70 hours a week, even exceeding 90 hours a week in the earlier years. He believes that “such dedication has not been in vain and emphasizes that hard work is the key to prosperity.”

Murthy urges India to enhance work productivity to compete globally 

Earlier discussions with Infosys former CFO Mohandas Pai, Murthy urged India to enhance work productivity to compete globally. 

He cited examples of post-World War II Germany and Japan, where citizens worked extra hours for the sake of their countries' economic growth.

Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal echoed Murthy's sentiments, posting on X, “It’s not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves. Rather it’s our moment to go all in and build in 1 generation what other countries have built over many generations!”

Industrialist Sajjan Jindal also endorsed Murthy's perspective, rejecting the notion of a five-day work week for a rapidly developing country like India. 

However, not everyone agreed, with film producer Ronnie Screwvala highlighting that “boosting productivity isn't solely about working longer hours.”