Speaking on Indian TV channel CNBC-TV18 at the Global Leadership Summit in Mumbai last week, Murthy said that India is a developing country which needs to prioritise hard work over work-life balance to improve itself.

Sticking his nose up the rear end of the Indian government, Murthy cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet as examples of proper workaholics, claiming the PM works 100 hours a week. He suggested that not following suit demonstrates a lack of appreciation for the nation's needs.

"Frankly, I was a little bit disappointed in 1986 when we moved from a six-day week to a five-day week," Murthy added. "I was not very happy with that. In this country, we have to work very hard because there is no substitute for hard work, even if you're the most intelligent guy," he said.

Murthy worked six and a half days a week until retirement, typically clocking in at 6:20 AM and leaving at 8:30 PM. His endorsement of the 70-hour workweek, which gave him a net worth of $5.3 billion, has been widely criticised.

In January 2024, he doubled down on his comments, supported by his wife, who sacrificed her career to enable his ambitions despite her being "the more professionally qualified".

Not everyone agrees with Murthy's views, including the law. India's Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code limits working days to eight hours. Some suggest that long working hours are acceptable when owning a company but not ideal for employees.

In its most recent results, Infosys reported 3.3 percent year-on-year constant currency growth to $4.89 billion. The services firm's Q2 2025 utilisation rates were reported at 84.3 per cent, meaning its consultants weren't working for clients for almost a day each week.