‘Those who make tons of money…’: Emcure’s Namita Thapar challenges Narayana Murthy’s advice for a 70-hour workweek

Indian work culture just got its own cage and the gloves have been taken off. Shark Tank India stars Anupam Mittal and Namita Thapar got into a heated exchange over the controversial 70-hour work week during an interview with Humans of Bombay.

Mittal called long working hours a “big lie”, while Thapar criticized his opinion as “nonsense”. The crash has reignited a heated national debate about productivity, work-life balance and the cost of India’s hustle culture.

Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com, dismissed the obsession with long hours, calling it “a big lie told to this generation”. Reflecting on his early days working 16-hour shifts in the United States, Mittal argued that success comes from effort and strategy, not time invested.

As proof, he cited his company’s hybrid model, saying it increased productivity by 30%. “Work-life balance is destroying an entire generation,” he said, advocating instead for “work-life harmony.” For Mittal, young professionals must strive in the early years of their careers to develop their character and achieve extraordinary results.

Namita Thapar, CEO of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, responded by calling Mittal’s argument “nonsense.” Thapar insisted that the reality for founders and employees is fundamentally different. “Founders like me have significant financial interests and can afford to work 24 hours a day, but employees can’t,” he said. He added that requiring employees to work uninterrupted hours can have serious consequences for physical and mental health. Thapar explained that while he worked grueling hours to help take Emcure public, employees do not share the same financial benefits and should not be held to such expectations.

This debate arises from Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s recent call for India’s youth to adopt a 70-hour work week to boost productivity and compete globally. While Mittal advocates the idea of ​​pushing limits to achieve success, Thapar advocates for realistic limits and highlights the human cost of overwork.