Chess Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi’s Kolkata observation rekindles debate on India’s single time zone

Indian chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi has reignited a long-running debate on whether India’s single time zone is hurting productivity in the eastern parts of the country, after pointing out how early darkness sets in during winter months. His observation, shared on social media platform X following a visit to Kolkata, triggered a flood of reactions questioning the very link between daylight hours and efficiency.

“Arrived in Kolkata today and it was quite dark around 5.30 pm already,” Vidit wrote, adding that while Indian Standard Time (IST) has its advantages, the early loss of daylight raised a broader concern. “I am sure there must be many advantages of IST, but isn’t there a loss of productivity due to this? Just thinking out loud,” he said.

Arrived in Kolkata today and it was quite dark around 5.30pm already.

I am sure there must be many advantages of IST, but isn’t there a loss of productivity due to this?!…
Just thinking out loud..

— Vidit Gujrathi (@viditchess) January 5, 2026

The comment drew mixed responses online. Several users dismissed the argument, suggesting that daylight is not a defining factor in how much people work. “Not if people and organisations are free to choose their working hours,” one response said.

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Another comment took a sharper tone, stating, “Even if Kolkata had 24 hours of daylight, productivity would still be low,” while a similar post echoed, “If Kolkata had 24H daylight then also productivity will be low.”

Others pointed to international comparisons, arguing that shorter daylight hours alone do not justify a structural change. “Try living in Norway. Four to five months of winter, some months only a few hours of daylight,” one comment read.

The discussion also revived long-standing demands from eastern India and the Northeast for a separate time zone. “For years the East and North East has been talking about the need for two or three time zones for the country. However, no political will,” one user noted.

Another highlighted the regional impact more starkly: “It gets dark in the Northeast, especially in far-eastern Arunachal, by 4 pm in winter. There was a plea for a separate time zone, but it was rejected due to implementation complexities, like rescheduling domestic flights.”

Some users questioned whether the debate itself addressed the real issue. “Does the government need people to work? Or do the people really want to work? If yes, what work will they do?” one comment asked.

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While Vidit’s post was framed as a personal observation rather than a policy prescription, the responses underline how the time zone debate in India remains deeply divided, caught between administrative practicality, regional daylight realities, and differing views on what truly drives productivity.