72 Hours For Innovators, Not Regular Employees: Mohandas Pai Clarifies Narayana Murthy’s Pitch

The 70-hour work week concept proposed by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy was directed exclusively at young people involved in building new companies and innovative startups, according to Aarin Capital Chairman TV Mohandas Pai. This does not apply for employees performing routine corporate jobs, the former Infosys CFO suggested, while speaking to a news channel.

Pai being one of Murthy's close associates, stepped in to defend the controversial remarks, stating that the call for dramatically increased dedication was aimed at boosting India’s productivity and ensuring its global competitiveness in emerging fields, similar to the economic acceleration seen in China.

Pai emphasised that the proposal was misconstrued by many critics, noting it was never meant for the entire workforce, particularly those with over 20 years of experience who are engaged in steady, well-established roles.

The core of the argument, Pai told ET Now, is that workers in their mid-20s and early 30s who are at the genesis of a product or company need to dedicate extreme hours to build an enterprise that can compete on the world stage.

Murthy's original comment, made during a podcast, urged young Indians to work 70 hours a week to help the nation increase its work productivity and become a strong global economic power. The statement drew immediate and widespread backlash from various quarters, with many arguing that such demands were unreasonable, unhealthy, and could lead to burnout and exploitation.

Pai clarified that the responsibility of older, experienced professionals is not to put in 70 hours of labour but rather to focus on management, mentoring, and creating a supportive environment for the young generation of innovators.

The clarification attempts to reset the narrative, positioning Murthy’s pitch not as a sweeping, mandatory policy but as an aspirational challenge to the country’s entrepreneurial youth.

The goal, Pai underlined, is to establish a culture of high growth and high ambition, differentiating between the intensity required for creation versus the stability required for maintenance.