Adarsh Samalopanan, vice-president of Yes Bank, has added a personal twist to the growing debate over L&T's 90-hour work week controversy.
Sharing an anecdote about his roommate's job interview at L&T, Samalopanan revealed how even a passion like basketball became a hurdle in the company's hiring process.
During a campus internship, his friend faced a difficult dilemma when an interviewer asked, “If you promise to quit basketball and devote all your time to your studies, I'll hire you.”
His friend, who was the captain of his college basketball team, confidently replied, “Sir, don't you think that if I keep myself healthy through sports, I will be able to work for the team for a long time?” He added that the sport taught him to deliver results under tight deadlines – valuable skills for the role at L&T.
Despite his reasoning, Samalopan's friend was rejected. Years later, reflecting on the interview in the middle of a 90-hour work week, he joked, “Bhai, I should have told them I was going to quit basketball and work on Sundays.”
The Central Trade Unions (CTU) on Tuesday condemned Larsen & Toubro (L&T) chairman SN Subrahmanyan's statement advocating an increase in working hours to 90 hours a week and suggesting employees work on Sundays instead of “staring at their wives” at home. .
While L&T later clarified that the statement reflected broader ambitions to develop India, it drew widespread criticism from various groups, including women's rights activists, for its tone and implications for work-life balance.
The Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) compared Mr Subrahmanyan's remarks to Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy's earlier proposal for a 70-hour work week, calling it part of a “rogue competition” between corporate leaders to exploit workers.
CITU general secretary Tapan Sen criticized the proposal, highlighting its negative impact on the health and social life of workers, especially as Indian workers already work longer hours than workers in countries like China, Europe, and former American Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh leader Virjesh Upadhyay also condemned it. a statement that goes against the principles of human dignity and work-life balance. He questioned the fairness of such measures coming from individuals who earn significantly more than the average worker and emphasized the need for fair and humane working conditions.
