Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya shared an insightful two-hour conversation during a flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru, covering everything from artificial intelligence and city planning to youth upskilling and leadership. But it was a light-hearted exchange on work ethic that caught public attention.
Taking to X, Surya described the interaction as a “masterclass,” praising Murthy as a visionary who helped transform India’s IT sector and created prosperity for millions of middle-class families. The post, however, also revealed a humorous moment on a topic that previously sparked national debate: working hours.
Narayana Murthy's Comment On Working Hours
Recalling Murthy’s earlier suggestion that young Indians should dedicate 70 hours a week to nation-building, Surya said he jokingly told the Infosys founder he would aim to meet that benchmark. Murthy’s response? “The only person I know who probably works 100 hours a week is Prime Minister Modi!”
Taking to X, Tejasvi Surya said, "Had an inspiring conversation with the legendary NRN today on the way back to Bengaluru from Mumbai. NRN pioneered the Indian IT services sector, turning it into a global powerhouse. He created wealth for literally lakhs of middle class families through Infosys. From AI to manufacturing, state of our cities to upskilling our youth to ethics and leadership - it was a 2 hour masterclass learning from him."
"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!” he said.
Had an inspiring conversation with the legendary NRN today on the way back to Bengaluru from Mumbai.
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) July 15, 2025
NRN pioneered the Indian IT services sector, turning it into a global powerhouse. He created wealth for literally lakhs of middle class families through Infosys.
From AI to… pic.twitter.com/ZpcnRWmbQR
Murthy’s original 70-hour-week remark, made in last year, had drawn both praise and criticism, with some calling it aspirational and others flagging concerns about work-life balance and labor rights.
