A San Francisco‑based Indian entrepreneur, Neha Suresh, recently set the internet ablaze by declaring that working 14+ hours daily—i.e., an 80-hour workweek—is the minimum needed to "make it." In a now-viral video posted on X, she asserted: “80-hour weeks aren’t extreme. It’s baseline. If you're not spending 14+ hours a day working on your dream, you’re not gonna make it.” (“ngmi”)

While some praised her passion and dedication, many others derided the post as an unhealthy glorification of toxic hustle culture. Critics shared personal experiences of burnout and stressed that sustainable productivity depends on rest, boundaries, and mental well-being. One commenter wrote: “I burned out chasing 80-hour weeks. I build better products when I’m rested and thinking clearly.” 

This debate arrives amid a broader national conversation, where industry leaders like NR Narayana Murthy, L&T’s S.N. Subrahmanyan, and Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal have previously advocated for long work hours - sparking widespread backlash. Surveys show that 84% of Indian workers prefer a 40–50 hour week, indicating little appetite for enforced overwork. 

The clash highlights a growing tension between ambition and well‑being, questioning whether extreme hours are truly necessary - or even effective - for innovation and success.