Industrialist Sajjan Jindal has thrown his weight behind the recent statement made by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, urging the younger generation in India to embrace longer work hours. Jindal, who chairs the JSW Group, firmly supports Murthy’s viewpoint, asserting that a five-day workweek may not be suited for a rapidly evolving country like India.
Narayana Murthy’s recommendation, made during a conversation with former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai on 3one4 Capital’s podcast ‘The Record,’ emphasized the need for increased work productivity in India to compete with swiftly growing nations such as China and Japan. He drew parallels to Germany and Japan after World War II, where citizens worked extra hours to rebuild their countries.
Sajjan Jindal expressed his endorsement of Murthy’s call and highlighted the tireless work ethic of India’s leaders. “Our PM Narendra Modi ji works over 14-16 hours every day. My father used to work 12-14 hours, 7 days a week. I work 10-12 hours every day,” Jindal shared. He emphasized the importance of finding passion in one’s work and participating in nation-building.
Jindal also pointed out that India faces unique circumstances and challenges compared to developed nations. In these countries, shorter workweeks have become the norm, but Jindal argued that India cannot afford to adopt this standard. He stated, “We can’t let shorter work weeks elsewhere become our standard.”
India’s burgeoning youth population represents the nation’s greatest strength, and Jindal believes that the younger generation must prioritize work over leisure to steer India towards superpower status. He emphasized that hard work and dedication are key to achieving India’s economic aspirations.
“As we progress, there will be opportunities for comfort, and the youth of 2047 will reap the benefits of our sacrifices and diligence,” Jindal noted. He concluded by underlining the importance of making India an economic superpower that the entire nation can take pride in.
Bhavish Aggarwal, the CEO of Ola, also echoed Murthy’s sentiments, asserting that this is not the time for India to reduce work hours and prioritize entertainment. On social media platform X, Aggarwal expressed his agreement, stating, “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!”
While these perspectives find resonance among some, not everyone fully agrees with the call for longer work hours. Film producer Ronnie Screwvala noted that enhancing productivity is not solely about working longer hours. The debate surrounding work-life balance, productivity, and the path to India’s economic growth continues to garner attention in the country.
Sources By Agencies
