Sajjan Jindal backs Narayana Murthy’s 70 hour work week call; cites example of PM Modi working 14-16 hours everyday

JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal has joined other business leaders in expressing support for NR Narayana Murthy‘s call for a dedicated labor force in India that is hardworking. Murthy had recently suggested that young people should be willing to work 70 hours a week for the betterment of the nation.
While some industry captains have reservations, Jindal fully endorses Murthy’s statement, emphasizing the need for dedication in building India’s economic strength.“I wholeheartedly endorse Mr. Narayan Murthy’s statement. It’s not about burnout, it’s about dedication. We have to make India an economic superpower that we can all be proud of in India 2047. A 5-day week culture is not what a rapidly developing nation of our size needs,” Jindal posted on X (formerly Twitter)
Jindal cited the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is known for his long working hours. “Our PM @narendramodi ji works over 14-16 hours everyday. My father used to work 12-14 hours, 7 days a week. I work 10-12 hours everyday. We have to find passion in our work and in Nation Building,” he said.
Jindal believes that a shorter work week culture is not suitable for a rapidly developing country like India. He stressed the importance of passion in work and nation-building. Jindal’s statement also highlighted the strength of India’s youth and their role in the country’s journey towards becoming a superpower.

“Our circumstances are unique and the challenges we face are distinct from the developed nations. They are working 4 or 5 days a week because their earlier generations clocked longer & more productive hours. We can’t let shorter work weeks elsewhere become our standard!,” he posted.
He urged the younger generation to prioritize work over leisure and emphasized that their sacrifices and diligence will benefit future generations. “India’s greatest strength is our youth. And in our journey to become a superpower, this generation has to prioritize work over leisure. As we progress, there will be opportunities for comfort, and the youth of 2047 will reap the benefits of our sacrifices and diligence,” he posted.
Narayana Murthy’s reference to the post-World War II efforts of young people in Japan and Germany to rebuild their countries garnered strong reactions on social media.
Ola Cabs co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal also supported Murthy’s suggestion, stating that it is an opportunity for India to build in one generation what other countries achieved over many generations. “Totally agree with Mr Murthy’s views. 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!,” he posted on X.
However, media baron and upGrad founder Ronnie Screwvala had a different perspective. He emphasized that boosting productivity is not simply about working longer hours but also about upskilling, creating a positive work environment, and ensuring fair pay for the work done. Screwvala believes that the quality of work is more important than the number of hours worked.
In a recent conversation with Mohandas Pai during “The Record”, a video series by 3one4 Capital, Infosys founder Murthy had lamented that India’s work productivity is one of the lowest in the world. He had urged the youth of the country to work 70 hours a week. “Our culture has to change to that of highly determined, extremely disciplined and extremely hardworking people. That transformation has to come to youngsters because youngsters form a significant majority of our population at this point of time. They are the ones who can build our country you know with gusto,” he said.