Former badminton player also took to X to criticise the statement, writing, “I mean…first of all why shouldn’t he stare at his wife…and why only on a Sunday!” She called the statement misogynistic and frightening.
As the backlash intensified, L&T issued a statement defending the chairman’s remarks. “We believe this is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realise our shared vision of becoming a developed nation. The Chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort. At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward.”
However, the clarification only seemed to make matters worse. Deepika Padukone once again criticised the response, stating, “And they just made it worse.”
A study found that three out of five employees working in major Indian sectors, including IT and manufacturing, technology, and media, have experienced high or extreme stress levels, with more women facing workplace stress, according to the latest survey.
The survey found that people between 21 and 30 are the most stressed set of workers, followed by those in their 30s and 40s, and then those in the age group of 41-50 years, the survey added.
Following the footsteps of Murthy?
This isn’t the first time such remarks have drawn sharp criticism. In October 2023, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy urged younger employees to work 70-hour weeks.
“India’s work productivity is one of the lowest in the world,” he said. “Unless we improve our work productivity… we will not be able to compete with those countries that have made tremendous progress.”
He added, “So, therefore, my request is that our youngsters must say, ‘This is my country. I’d like to work 70 hours a week.'”
Murthy later attempted to clarify his statement, explaining that he meant employees must be “very productive.”
