Rupifi CEO endorses Narayana Murthy’s call for 9-9-6 work culture in India

Rupifi co-founder and CEO Anubhav Jain has publicly supported Narayana Murthy’s call for India to adopt China’s 9-9-6 work culture, arguing that longer working hours are essential for accelerating national development. Posting on LinkedIn on Tuesday, Jain said India “needs more 9-9-6 today” and framed 72-hour work weeks as a necessary commitment to nation building rather than a glorification of late nights or startup hustle.

Jain, who founded the Bengaluru-based B2B digital finance platform in 2018 with Jawaid Iqbal and Ankit Singh, stated that India requires people willing to work harder, push boundaries and contribute meaningfully to economic and social progress. He emphasised that the debate should centre on commitment and productivity rather than the optics of workplace culture, as per a report by Hindustan Times.

The 9-9-6 system — referring to a 9 am to 9 pm schedule, six days a week — has been associated with several Chinese technology firms. Although widely criticised for its intensity and health implications, the model became symbolic of China’s aggressive growth phase before being deemed illegal by the Chinese Supreme Court in 2021.

Jain’s comments follow Murthy’s recent interview with Republic TV, in which the Infosys founder urged young Indians to adopt similar work hours. Murthy said India’s youth should first “get a life and then worry about work-life balance”, adding that China’s rise was propelled by its 9-9-6 ethic and that India must also commit to longer hours if it wants to compete globally.

Jain endorsed Murthy’s view, stating that 72-hour work weeks helped push China to its current economic position and that India needs a comparable shift in mindset. He argued that the responsibility for national progress rests with all Indians — not only entrepreneurs — and said workers across sectors should be prepared to contribute more time and effort to help India realise its ambitions.