‘Narayana Murthy Hours’: Internet Says Karnataka’s 12-Hour Workday Is Funny Until It Becomes Real

Bengaluru: A new proposal from the Karnataka government to implement 12-hour workdays has set off an unexpected wave of memes online, particularly featuring Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy.

The state recently suggested changing the daily working hours from the previous 9 hours to now 12 hours for specific sectors, including IT and services. While this idea has drawn backlash from trade unions and labour rights advocates, it has also ignited a viral meme flood on social media, with users dubbing this change as the “Narayana Murthy hours”.

The state is reportedly considering pushing the upper limit on work hours from 9 to 10, and allow overtime up to 12 hours a day.

Two years earlier, Narayana Murthy faced controversy by encouraging the young Indian workforce to work 70 hours a week to enhance national productivity. That comment had already sparked discussions, and now, with Karnataka’s 12-hour shift proposal, the internet is revisiting his words with a new perspective.

Memes Flood The Internet

This proposal by the Karnataka government has sparked a wave of memes on the internet, many of which include Narayana Murthy because of his statements earlier.

"Narayana Murthy’s long-cherished dream has finally come true," quipped one user on X, referencing the Infosys co-founder’s earlier pitch for a 70-hour workweek that had triggered national debate.

Another posted, speculating “Narayana Murthy laughing in the corner after hearing that Karnataka Govt plans to increase work hours to 12 hours per day for IT workers.”

Amid the laughter, many users also voiced concerns about the risks of overwork and burnout. “It’s funny until it becomes real,” one commenter noted.

“The rest of the world is moving towards 4-day work weeks. We’re going back to 6 days and longer shifts,” a user noted. Others joked grimly that “Indians working 10-hour days allow Europeans to have 4-day weeks.”

Here are some more reactions:

These memes reflect that the internet isn’t taking this proposal lightly, and that the Karnataka government should consider this reaction before implementing this policy.

Also Read: '10-Hour Workdays, 4-Hour Commutes, 0 Life': Debate Erupts On Reddit After Karnataka Proposes 10-Hour Workday