Kotak’s CEO, Nilesh Shah, recently made a statement suggesting that Indians should work 84 hours a week in order to accelerate India’s growth and improve income levels. Shah’s remark came after NR Narayana Murthy, co-founder and former CEO of Infosys, advocated for a 70-hour workweek. Shah made his comments during a podcast called “Invest Aaj For Kal with Anant Ladha.”

Shah referred to a book by Charlie Munger, where it was mentioned that people in Korea worked 84 hours a week for a generation, equivalent to 12 hours a day, every day, every month, and every year. He also highlighted Murthy’s suggestion that Indians should work like Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese, emphasizing that hard work would lead to India’s continued growth and the eradication of poverty.

Economist Sanjeev Sanyal agreed with Shah’s remark, emphasizing the need for effort and procreation from the current and future generations. Sanyal supported the idea of a 12-hour workday, stating that it was achievable with occasional breaks.

Narayana Murthy’s comments on increasing India’s work productivity sparked a debate on work-life balance. He stressed that Indian youth should work for at least 70 hours a week to remain competitive with countries like China and Japan. Murthy also called for a reduction in decision-making time and a decrease in corruption in the bureaucracy.

In summary, there is a discussion within India about the ideal number of work hours to accelerate growth and improve income levels. While Shah suggests 84 hours a week, Murthy advocates for 70 hours, both emphasizing the importance of hard work and productivity for the country’s development.