Narayana Murthy defends 70-hour work week again, explains how India can overcome poverty

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has once again defended his stance on the need for a 70-hour workweek. He was speaking at an event in Kolkata. He described the city as the "the most cultured place in the entire country".

Murthy added that young people have to realise that "we have to work hard and work towards making India number one." He addressed the issue at the centenary launch of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, sharing his thoughts with RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka.

"At Infosys, I said we will go to the best and compare ourselves with the best global companies. Once we compare ourselves with the best global companies, I can tell you we Indians have a lot to do. We have to set our aspirations high because 800 million Indians get free ration. That means 800 million Indians are in poverty. If we are not in a position to work hard, then who will work hard?" Murthy said.


He said that he was once a Leftist when India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru opened Indian Institutes of Technology.

Embracing Capitalism for National Progress

Murthy’s experience led him to embrace capitalism as a means to create a prosperous future for India. "In India, capitalism had not taken root, and I realized that if I returned, I would need to embrace what I call 'compassionate capitalism,'" he shared. He defined this as a blend of capitalism’s efficiency with the values of liberalism and socialism to benefit society.


"My father used to talk about the extraordinary progress that was happening in the country at the time and we were all sold on Nehru and socialism. I had the opportunity to work in Paris in the early 70s and I was confused. The West was talking about how filthy and corrupt India was. In my country there was poverty and the roads had potholes.

"There (West), everyone was reasonably prosperous and trains ran on time and I thought this can't be wrong. I met the leader of the French Communist Party and he answered all my questions, but not to my satisfaction.

The Path to Eradicating Poverty

Murthy shared his belief that creating jobs is the key to lifting people out of poverty. According to him, the only way to fight poverty is by creating jobs that lead to disposable incomes. He also made it clear that the role of government in entrepreneurship is minimal and that entrepreneurs build nations by creating jobs, generating wealth for investors, and paying taxes.

"I realised the only way a country can fight poverty is by creating jobs that lead to disposable incomes. The government has absolutely no role in entrepreneurship. I also realised entrepreneurs build a nation as they create jobs, they create wealth for their investors and they pay taxes.

"Therefore, if a country embraces capitalism, it will create good roads, good trains and good infrastructure. In a poor country like India where capitalism had not taken roots, I realised if I had to come back and experiment in entrepreneurship, then we have to embrace compassionate capitalism," Mr Murthy said.


Reflecting on his own journey, Murthy recalled his past as a Leftist during the time of Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership. He stated that his father often spoke of India’s progress under Nehru, and that they were all captivated by his vision. How India can overcome poverty with 70-hour workweek? Narayana Murthy explains as he once again doubles down on his stance.