Concept of work hours for Young India not right: Startup founders

Hard work is very important but the definition of hard and definition of work are different things to different people, says entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala

New Delhi: As the controversy raged over L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s suggestion to employees to work 90 hours a week, leading startup founders and investors on Saturday said that young India doesn’t want to be told what to do and we should respect them.

It does not mean that they are working less because young Indians get “switched on in different ways”. “I think we all know that you need to be a rounded person, otherwise you can’t perform. So hard work is very important but the definition of hard and definition of work are different things to different people, and I think we need to respect that individuality,” serial entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala told IANS during the ‘Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025’ event here.

---

Oyo co-founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal told IANS at the event that the concept of hours for working is “not the right concept”. “The right concept for work says that you should work with a full heart. Everyone is working wholeheartedly towards the developed India mission. Some people can be productive in just 4 hours a day, while some people may take 8 hours. Everyone can have their own way and path towards work,” he said. Agarwal further stated that there is a huge opportunity for young Indians ahead.

“If you have an idea to make the country ‘developed India’, then you can share it with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Many excited founders will share their stories. I want to wish all the youth best wishes for this opportunity,” Agarwal noted.

According to Screwvala, the key point is diversity and that’s what India is all about.

“We look at youth in a very manner of raw energy, passion, fresh ideas, freshness or diversity,” Screwvala added.

The Department of Youth Affairs is organising the ‘Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue’ from January 10-12 at Bharat Mandapam here.

The event, which is a reimagination of the National Youth Festival, aims to provide a unique platform for youth to present innovative solutions for ‘Viksit Bharat’.

It offers young leaders an opportunity to engage directly with policymakers, and national and global icons while contributing their ideas for shaping the nation’s future.