Anand Mahindra takes a jab at L&T chairman’s 90-hour workweek call: ‘You must study arts’ | Trending

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has once again captured attention with his thoughts on liberal arts education and work-life balance. Speaking at a Firstpost event, Mahindra passionately advocated for the importance of arts and culture in professional decision-making. Anand Mahindra championed liberal arts for better decisions.(PTI) “Even if you’re an engineer or an MBA, you must study arts and culture,” he said, highlighting the role of a well-rounded education. “We support art and culture because I believe it helps make better decisions engaging the whole brain.” Mahindra stressed that understanding arts and culture enhances decision-making. “If you’re not spending time at home, with friends, or reading, how will you bring the right inputs to your decisions?” he questioned. Witty response to L&T chief’s 90-hour work week remarkMahindra also addressed the viral remarks L&T chief SN Subrahmanyan, who advocated for a 90-hour work week. Subrahmanyan’s controversial comment, “How long can you stare at your wife?” sparked debates on work-life balance. (Also read: ‘How long can you stare at your wife?’: L&T chairman says he wants employees to work on Sunday too) In a cheeky response, Mahindra quipped, “My wife is wonderful, and I love staring at her.” He took the opportunity to underline the importance of quality over quantity in work. “Don’t ask me how many hours I work; ask me about the quality of my work,” he emphasised. The role of social media in Mahindra’s strategyMahindra, known for his strong social media presence, also shared insights about his approach to managing his X (formerly Twitter) account, which boasts 11.4 million followers. “I’m not on X because I’m lonely. My wife is wonderful. I spend time with her. I’m here because this is an amazing business tool,” he explained. He highlighted how social media offers real-time feedback from millions, enabling informed decision-making. (Also read: ‘I love staring at my wife’: Anand Mahindra takes a swipe at L&T chairman’s 90-hour workweek call) Addressing concerns about time management, he clarified, “People often ask if I have a team managing my account. I respond to comments like, ‘Why are you on Twitter?’ or ‘Why are you wasting time?’ It’s about leveraging this platform effectively.” The L&T work culture debateSubrahmanyan’s comments advocating a 90-hour work week, including working on Sundays, have reignited the work-life balance debate, which Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy had sparked earlier with his 70-hour work week suggestion. An L&T spokesperson later clarified that the comments were reflective of the company’s ambitious goals and not a literal mandate. “Extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort,” the statement read, while reiterating L&T’s commitment to fostering a culture of passion and performance.