Former Niti Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, on Sunday said Indians must work hard to achieve the ambitious target of making India a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047.
While speaking at a media event, Kant said, “I strongly believe in hard work. Indians must work hard, whether it’s 80 hours or 90 hours a week. If your ambition is to move from a USD 4 trillion to a USD 30 trillion economy, you can’t do it through entertainment or by following the views of some film stars.”
Joining the ongoing debate on working hours, he said Japan, South Korea, and China have achieved economic success through a strong work ethic and suggested that India must cultivate a similar mindset to build a world-class economy.
“We have made it fashionable to talk about not working hard. Why? India must work hard to deliver projects ahead of time, with world-class excellence, without time and cost overruns,” he added.
Speaking on work-life balance, he emphasised that there is enough time for personal well-being within a disciplined work schedule.
“I work every day. I exercise. I play golf, and I still manage to work hard. Keep aside one and a half hours for yourself, and you still have 22.5 hours in a day. There’s plenty of time to manage work-life balance, but don’t make it fashionable to say people shouldn’t work hard,” he said.
“We are all sending wrong messages to the young generation of India that India can become a great nation without working hard. No, no country has been able to do this,” Kant added.