Speaking at the BS Manthan Summit, on Thursday, former Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said that hard work, not leisure, will bring India’s economic transformation.
“I strongly believe in hard work. Indians must work hard, whether it's 80 hours or 90 hours a week. If your ambition is to move from a $4 trillion to a $30 trillion economy, you can’t do it through entertainment or by following the views of some film stars,” Amitabh Kant stated.
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Kant's views on work-life balance
The former CEO said that countries such as Japan, Korea, and Canada are economically developed because of their disciplined work ethic.
“We have made it fashionable to talk about not working hard. Why? India must work hard to deliver projects ahead of time, with world-class excellence, without time and cost overruns,” Kant pointed out.
He went on dismissing concerns that long work hours leave no room for personal well-being.
“I work every day, I exercise, I play golf, and I still manage to work hard. Keep aside one-and-a-half hours for yourself, and you still have 22.5 hours in a day. There’s plenty of time to manage work-life balance, but don’t make it fashionable to say people shouldn’t work hard,” he said.
Kant’s comments added to the ongoing debate over long working hours in India. Recently, L&T Chairperson SN Subrahmanyan suggested employees should work 90 hours a week, even on Sundays.
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy also called for a 70-hour workweek for India’s youth. However, he also said that no one should impose long hours on others and that individuals must decide for themselves.
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