Namita Thapar slams Narayana Murthy over ‘70-hour workweek’, says ‘a crock of bulls**t’

Months after Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy sparked debate with his comments advocating a 70-hour workweek, the topic remains a lightning rod for discussion. During an interview with Humans of Bombay, Shark Tank India judges Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal shared conflicting perspectives on work productivity, leading to a heated exchange.

Anupam Mittal, CEO and founder of Shaadi.com, argued against measuring success by the number of hours worked. “I think it is a big lie that’s being told to this generation,” Mittal said. “You are not ever going to... okay this is for people who want to achieve something extraordinary in life... you are not going to achieve anything extraordinary in life by counting the hours that you are putting in."

Namita Thapar, Executive Director - India Business of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, countered sharply, dismissing Mittal’s view as “a crock of bullsh*t.” Thapar asserted that the debate must differentiate between high-level stakeholders, like founders, and regular employees.

Thapar's Argument: Employees vs. Founders

Thapar explained her position with three key points. First, she highlighted the financial stakes founders hold. “When Emcure went public, it was $3 billion; my family owns 80 percent. So imagine the kind of wealth I am making,” she said. Thapar emphasized that founders work extensive hours because they reap substantial financial rewards, a scenario not applicable to regular employees.

Second, Thapar stressed the physical and mental health repercussions of extended work hours for the average worker. “If he is going to put in that kind of hours... he is going to have serious, serious, serious physical and mental health issues,” she said.

Lastly, Namita Thapar underscored the societal impact, particularly on families. “For God’s sake, don’t get married and have children because the next generation is suffering because of non-existent parents. Just spare them the misery and mental health issues due to having an absentee parent,” she argued.

Balancing Work and Productivity

Namita Thapar concluded by advocating for work-life balance, especially for employees. “I think for the common man and woman, there needs to be a certain number of hours that they are supposed to work,” she said, suggesting that while occasional long hours may be necessary for specific deliverables, they should not become the standard.

The debate traces back to Narayana Murthy’s remarks calling for a cultural shift to boost India’s work productivity. Murthy described productivity levels in India as among the lowest globally and encouraged the youth to work harder to position the country competitively on the international stage.