Kotak AMC CEO Suggests Working 84 Hours/Week For India¡¯s Growth, Internet Calls Him 'Toxic Boss'

As if Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy¡¯s ¡®70-hour¡¯ week advice wasn¡¯t enough, Nilesh Shah, Kotak CEO has stated that to boost its progress, India should consider embracing the robust work ethic observed in nations such as Korea, Japan, and China, where individuals frequently engage in 12-hour workdays.

Speaking on the "Invest Aaj For Kal with Anant Ladha" podcast, Shah said, "We need to work 12 hours per day for 365 days."

He said, ¡°Charlie Munger wrote in one of his books that people in Korea worked 84 hours a week for one generation. That means 12 hours a day, every day, every month, every year.¡±

¡°Recently in India, Narayana Murthy mentioned working 70 hours a week, which caused quite a stir. He said that one generation of Indians needs to work like Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese. If we work hard, there is no doubt that India¡¯s growth will continue, the pace will accelerate, and there will come a time when there will be no sub-Saharan Africa-level poverty in India. We will have transferred everyone to middle-income and upper-income levels,¡± he added.

We need to work 12 hours per day for 365 days - Nilesh Shah sir - CE0 Kotak AMC ? pic.twitter.com/tiXQSgwT5r

¡ª Anant Ladha, CFA CA CFP LL.B. (@anantladha25) June 1, 2024

Sanjeev Sanyal, an economist, concurred, highlighting the importance of diligence while also stressing the significance of family and sustainable approaches. He noted, "One generation will have to put in that effort... and also remember to procreate. It is doable (with the occasional break). We are that generation and perhaps the next one."

Also Read: Before Narayana Murthy¡¯s ¡®70-Hour¡¯ Advice, It Was Elon Musk Who Rallied For 100-hour Work Week

People On The Internet Have Mixed Reactions To It

value research

On X, one user criticized excessively long work hours and said: "70-hour week. 84-hour week. It¡¯s just a number, right? Forget family, leisure, and health. Just work and pay taxes."

¡°Shows the Indian corporate greed. There must be some regulation on how long people can work. India has stayed strong because of the strong family system. If the corporate culture gets too much, family structures will go away and the country itself will fall,¡± wrote another

One person agreed to follow this advice but on one condition, ¡°Give me a 1000% salary hike, I'm ready.¡±

¡°Traits of a toxic boss, focuses more on hours logged rather than quality of work!¡± retorted another user.

Also Read: From Ashneer Grover To Ola CEO, How People Are Reacting To The 70-Hour Work Week Debate