Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has stepped forward to defend its chairman, SN Subrahmanyan, following widespread criticism of his comments advocating for employees to work on Sundays and 90 hours a week.
The company said that achieving extraordinary results requires extraordinary effort, particularly in a time when India is striving for progress.
“Nation-building is at the core of our mandate. For over eight decades, we have been shaping India’s infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities. We believe this is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realise our shared vision of becoming a developed nation,” said an L&T spokesperson. “The chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition.”
During a recent interaction with employees, Subrahmanyan addressed the company’s six-day work week and expressed his belief in a more demanding schedule. “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays,” he said.
He went on to make a contentious remark, asking, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? Come on, get to the office and start working.”
Subrahmanyan also recounted a conversation with a Chinese individual who suggested that China could outpace the United States because Chinese workers clocked 90 hours a week, compared to the 50 hours worked by Americans. Using this as an example, he told employees, “If you have got to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys.”
The remarks, shared in an undated video that surfaced on Reddit, sparked widespread criticism online. Many users found the comments inappropriate and questioned the work-life balance implications.
Critics drew parallels between Subrahmanyan’s statements and earlier remarks made by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who had suggested that young Indians should work 70 hours a week to contribute to the nation’s growth. Murthy’s comments also faced backlash, with many arguing that such work expectations were unrealistic and harmful.
The statements have reignited the ongoing debate on work-life balance in corporate India.
Shares of L&T closed 1.71% lower on Thursday at Rs 3,535.00. The stock has fallen 4.53% in the past five days, 9.89% in the last month and 0.3% in the past year.