Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has come to the defence of its Chairman, SN Subrahmanyan, following a wave of criticism over his remarks advocating for employees to work longer hours, including on Sundays, and commit to 90-hour work weeks.

The company issued a statement emphasising that achieving exceptional results requires extraordinary efforts, particularly in India’s current push towards national development, as reported by India Today.

A spokesperson for L&T explained, “Nation-building is at the heart of our mission. For more than eight decades, we’ve been shaping the country’s infrastructure, industries, and technological advancements. We believe this is India’s decade—a time demanding collective dedication to drive progress and realize our vision of becoming a developed nation.”

The spokesperson clarified that Subrahmanyan’s comments were reflective of this larger ambition.

What happened? 

During a recent internal meeting, Subrahmanyan voiced dissatisfaction with the company’s existing six-day workweek. 

He said, "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays."

"What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? Come on, get to the office, and start working," he added, which became controversial.

Subrahmanyan further referenced a conversation with a Chinese individual who argued that China's growth could surpass the United States because Chinese workers put in 90-hour work weeks, while Americans work only 50 hours.

Drawing from this example, Subrahmanyan encouraged employees, saying, "If you have got to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys."

The video, which surfaced on Reddit, quickly sparked widespread criticism, added India Today.

The controversy also drew comparisons to similar remarks made by Infosys Co-founder Narayana Murthy, who had previously suggested that young Indians should work 70 hours a week to contribute to the country’s growth.