Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy isn’t backing down on his call for a 70-hour workweek.
Speaking in Kolkata at the Indian Chamber of Commerce centenary event, he reiterated that young Indians must embrace relentless effort if the nation is to rise. “We have to work hard and work towards making India number one,” he said, addressing an audience that included industrialist Sanjiv Goenka.
Murthy contextualized his plea with hard-hitting numbers. “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?” he asked.
Drawing a comparison, he added, “A gentleman here told me a Chinese worker is 3.5 times more productive than an Indian. If we continue to make excuses, we will remain wretched, filthy, and poor.”
Murthy reflected on his ideological journey, recounting how he started as a Nehru-era socialist inspired by the state-led progress of the time. But a stint in Paris during the 1970s forced him to rethink. “In my country, there was poverty and roads with potholes. There, [in the West] everyone was reasonably prosperous, and trains ran on time,” he said. Conversations with the French Communist Party only deepened his conviction that poverty could be defeated through job creation and entrepreneurship.
“The government has absolutely no role in entrepreneurship,” Murthy declared. He advocated for what he termed “compassionate capitalism,” a model that combines wealth creation with social responsibility. “Entrepreneurs build nations by creating jobs, wealth for investors, and taxes for the government. That’s the only way to bring good roads, good infrastructure, and a prosperous nation.”
Murthy urged India’s youth to aspire for global excellence. “At Infosys, I said we will compare ourselves with the best global companies. If India is to earn the world’s respect, we must perform,” he said. “Performance leads to recognition, recognition leads to respect, and respect leads to power.”
He called on every individual to take responsibility for India’s future. “It’s easy to write nonsense and stay complacent. But if we don’t dedicate our lives to realising our potential, we will continue to be shunned by the world,” he warned.
Murthy concluded with an ode to Kolkata, calling it “the most cultured place in the entire country.”