Narayana Murthy says he knows someone already working 100 hours a week in a chat on Bengaluru-Mumbai flight

Time of India

7 hours ago

BJP MP
Tejasvi Surya
's recent conversation with
Infosys
co-founder
Narayana Murthy
during a flight has sparked fresh online chatter around India's work culture. When Surya mentioned Murthy's widely discussed suggestion that young Indians should work 70 hours a week, the veteran entrepreneur replied with a striking example.
'I humorously quipped at the end of our conversation that I'll strive to meet his 70-hour-a-week target – to which he laughed and said, 'The only person I know who probably works 100 hours a week is Prime Minister Modi!'' Surya posted on X (formerly Twitter).
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— Tejasvi_Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya)
Narayan Murthy's 70-hour work continues to trend
Murthy's 70-hour workweek suggestion, made in 2023, had triggered nationwide debate, with business leaders, politicians and professionals weighing in. His latest remark, this time during a two-hour flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru, adds a fresh layer to the discussion.
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Surya, who represents Bengaluru South, said the exchange happened during a wide-ranging conversation about topics such as artificial intelligence, manufacturing, urban development, youth upskilling, and leadership. He called the interaction 'deeply inspiring.'
Murthy flies economy, carries luggage, avoids VIP lounge
Along with the work-hour remark, Surya highlighted Murthy's travel choices, praising the
Infosys
co-founder for his humility. According to Surya, Murthy flew economy class on a low-cost domestic airline, carried his own luggage, used the public washroom, and stood in queue to collect his bags at Bengaluru airport.
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'Not just that, he was on an economy seat,' Surya wrote. 'Carried his luggage himself though I offered to help many times. After the flight, went to the common washroom – not any VIP lounge – stood in queue to collect his baggage with all, rolled it out himself. Small actions. Big values.'
Social media response
Murthy's actions and Surya's posts gained traction after ANI editor Smita Prakash commented on Murthy choosing to fly commercial instead of using a private jet. Several users chimed in with similar observations.
One user posted, 'He has been doing it himself since his first air journey, I guess. I too observed him and his actions when I travelled overseas two decades ago.'
Another commented on cultural habits: 'This is common in western work culture. Even Trump can be seen with a carry-on bag at times. Only here do we carry on with the saheb culture, most prevalent in the Govt and political arena.'
Murthy's lifestyle remains consistent
Murthy, who co-founded Infosys in 1981 with six engineers, is widely respected for his simple lifestyle and views on discipline and ethics. Despite a net worth estimated at $5 billion, he is known to keep a low public profile and continues to be a reference point in debates around productivity and national development.