‘He struck me as humble…’: Sanjeev Bhikchandani recalls ‘unexpected’ meeting with L&T chief amid 90-hour workweek row

The debate over work-life balance has returned after Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan sparked a row with his remarks calling for a 90-hour work week.

His comment, “How long can you stare at your wife,” faced widespread criticism, sparking sharp reactions from corporate leaders and the public alike.

Amid this storm, Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bhikchandani shared a surprising and personal encounter with Subramanian, highlighting a different side of the L&T chief.

“A few months ago, I received an email out of the blue. I had never met Mr. Subramanian, but it’s not every day that the CEO of a giant like L&T asks to meet him. So I went,” Bhikchandani wrote in a post on X.

For an hour, Subramanian discussed entrepreneurship, startups and digital transformation. “There was no agenda other than his desire to learn,” Bakhchandani said. “He struck me as down-to-earth and friendly, sharing stories with me about his career and family.”

At the end of their meeting, Bikshandani asked Subrahmanian about L&T’s cash reserves. “He gave me a wild number — Rs 50,000 crore, I think. I advised him to invest some of it wisely in startups. India needs domestic venture capital, and a company with the balance sheet of L&T can lead the way.”

Bhikchandani explained how investments in companies like Zomato and PolicyBazaar have yielded significant returns for Info Edge. “We agreed to meet again to discuss ideas. I walked away impressed. He even walked me to my car.”

While Bikshandani’s account portrays Subrahmanian as a friendly person eager to learn, his comments on the job sparked outrage. Industry leaders like Harsh Goenka and Harsh Mariwala criticized the idea, stressing the importance of doing well during working hours only. “Work-life balance is not optional; “It is essential,” Goenka said.

Billionaire Gautam Adani recently offered a more balanced view, suggesting that individuals should set their priorities in work and life. “If you and your family are happy, that’s what matters,” Adani noted.