Narayana Murthy on Indian workforce: Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has reiterated his stance on the 70-hour workweek, urging young Indians to embrace hard work to propel the country toward becoming a global leader. Speaking at the Indian Chamber of Commerce centenary launch in Kolkata, Murthy emphasized the need for India’s youth to raise their aspirations and work diligently to tackle issues like poverty.
Murthy cited that over 800 million Indians rely on free ration, highlighting the urgent need to create jobs and foster economic growth. “If we are not in a position to work hard, then who will work hard?” he questioned during his interaction with RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka.
Reflecting on his experiences in Paris during the 1970s, Murthy recounted how his exposure to Western prosperity influenced his entrepreneurial journey. “In the West, everyone was reasonably prosperous, and trains ran on time. That’s when I realized the only way to fight poverty is by creating jobs that lead to disposable incomes. Governments have no role in entrepreneurship,” he said.
Murthy advocated for “compassionate capitalism,” which blends the efficiency of capitalism with the social responsibility of liberalism and socialism. He credited entrepreneurs with nation-building through job creation, wealth generation, and tax contributions.
Calling Kolkata “the most cultured place in the entire country,” Murthy lauded the city’s rich heritage, naming luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore and Subhash Chandra Bose. He urged young Indians to honor the vision of the country’s founding fathers by striving for global recognition and respect through performance and dedication.
Murthy also compared Indian productivity with global standards, citing that a Chinese worker is 3.5 times more productive than an Indian worker. “It is very easy to write nonsense and remain wretched, filthy, and poor,” he remarked, calling for a collective commitment to excellence.
The billionaire concluded by urging Indians to think beyond personal comfort and dedicate their efforts to national progress, advocating for hard work as the foundation for India’s future prosperity.