NR Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys, has emphasized the need for a cultural shift in India’s work ethic. Speaking on 3one4 Capital’s podcast ‘The Record,’ he urged the younger generation to commit to working 70 hours a week to help India compete on the global stage.

According to Murthy, India’s work productivity is currently one of the lowest worldwide. To catch up with nations like China, he stressed that Indian youth should adopt a work ethic akin to what Japan and Germany embraced post-World War II, putting in extra hours to fuel economic growth.

He didn’t shy away from addressing issues like government corruption and bureaucratic delays, pointing out that these factors hinder India’s progress. Murthy’s plea to today’s youth is clear: “Our youngsters must say, ‘This is my country. I’d like to work 70 hours a week.'”

He drew parallels with the post-war strategies of Germany and Japan, where they encouraged extended working hours to rebuild their economies.

Murthy, acknowledging that the youth form a substantial part of India’s population, emphasized their role in the nation’s progress. He underscored the necessity for a cultural transformation in India, shifting towards discipline, hard work, and determination.

He believes that without such a shift, the government’s efforts can only achieve so much. “And every government is as good as the culture of the people. And our culture has to change to that of highly determined, extremely disciplined, and extremely hard-working people,” he remarked. “And that transformation has to come to youngsters because youngsters form a significant majority of our population at this point of time, and they are the ones who can build our country.”

This call for an altered work culture aligns with Murthy’s previous statements in 2020, when he suggested that professionals should work 60 hours a week for a few years to revitalize the post-pandemic economy.

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