Work week debate: Niti Aayog's former CEO Amitabh Kant bats straight, says nation needs hard work

"We are appreciating people who say you should not work hard. Why? India must work hard to deliver," former CEO of Niti Aayog said, adding that no nation can become great without hard work.

India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant weighed in on the ongoing debate over working hours, and said that not working hard should not be turned ‘fashionable’ under the garb of seeking work-life balance, and the nation must work hard irrespective of whether it is for 80 hours or 90 hours a week.

His comments come follow a recent viral debate after L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan had suggested that employees should work 90 hours a week and even on Sundays, to stay competitive, inviting severe backlash on social media.

Speaking at an event organized by Business Standard on February 27, Amitabh Kant said, "In the name of work-life balance, do not tell the young generation that they don't need to work hard. We are all sending the wrong message to the younger generation that we can grow without working hard."

"If your ambition is to move from a $4 trillion to a $30 trillion plus economy, you can't do it by entertainment and going by the views of some film star," Kant said, adding that Japan, South Korea and China's economic successes were a result of the entire nation’s hard work.

"We are appreciating people who say you should not work hard. Why? India must work hard to deliver," former CEO of Niti Aayog said, adding that no nation can become great without hard work.

Kant did not entirely dismiss the idea of life outside work, pointing out that he engages in physical exercise for nearly 90 minutes every day, along with playing golf. "I also do many other things. You can do this even with lot of hard work. Keep apart 1-1/2 hours. You still have 22-1/2 hours. You can sleep and still work hard. There is plenty of work-life balance," Kant added.

Last year, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy had advocated a 70-hour work week. In October 2024, Narayana Murthy said India's youth must work 70 hours every week to improve the nation’s productivity, sparking a nationwide debate over the ethical and practical implications of such expectations. While some viewed this as a call to action, others criticized it for being outdated and detrimental to employee welfare.