Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy has urged the Indian youth to embrace a 12-hour workday, as he believes this strategy is crucial for India to join the league of nations that have made significant progress over the last two to three decades.

According to Murthy, India”s work productivity is among the lowest in the world. To compete with countries like China, he suggests that Indian millennials should adopt a work ethic similar to that of post-World War II Japan and Germany. Murthy expressed his views during a conversation with former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai on the inaugural episode of 3one4 Capital”s podcast “The Record.”

Murthy”s vision is for India”s youth to lead the way in making the nation prosperous, stating, “So, my request is that our youngsters must say, “This is my country. I”d like to work 70 hours a week.””

He emphasized, “And that transformation has to come from youngsters because they make up a significant majority of our population at this point in time, and they are the ones who can build our country.”

Murthy also pointed out that for India to compete effectively, improvements in work productivity and reductions in government corruption and bureaucratic delays are essential.

Murthy”s remarks triggered a social media storm with polarizing comments on the X platform (formerly Twitter).

Praise and criticism poured in abundantly following the post.

One X user found Murthy”s suggestion burdensome, equating it to a slave work culture. He pointed out that sacrificing family time for extra work is already deeply ingrained in Indian society.

Another X user commented, “He should start paying a starting salary of $100K also.”

Yet another X user added, “Salaries should also reflect the increased hours, as IT professionals are already working extra hours regularly without proper compensation.”

A different X user raised concerns about the practicality of working 70 hours a week, highlighting the challenges in balancing work, commute, sleep, meals, and personal life.

In contrast, Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal shared a similar sentiment, believing that these times require extra effort. He said, “It”s not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves.”

Aggarwal further expressed his agreement with Mr. Murthy”s views, stating, “I totally agree with Mr. Murthy”s views. It”s not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves. Instead, it”s our moment to go all in and build in one generation what other countries have built over many generations.”