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Addressing the 5th Edition of the ICA International Conference, the judge emphasised that dedication is key to career growth, cautioning that shorter working hours may limit learning and experience.
Supreme Court judge Justice Aravind Kumar.The work-life balance debate has once again come to the fore after Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar, on Saturday, urged young lawyers to refrain from taking weekends off during the initial phase of their careers. He asserted that commitment to one’s profession is essential and that capping working hours may not help achieve long-term goals.
“You should be wedded to your profession, and only when you dedicate yourself to what you are doing will the results be encouraging,” Justice Kumar said, according to a report in Bar and Bench.
‘No holidays in our time,’ says Justice Kumar
“I appeal to all youngsters—this is what I have seen in Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata—Sundays are non-working, and Saturday evenings are taken off. In Bangalore, we had no holidays,” he said.
Addressing the 5th Edition of the ICA International Conference, the judge emphasised that dedication is key to career growth, cautioning that shorter working hours may limit learning and experience.
Shares personal experience from early career
Drawing from his own journey, Justice Kumar noted that his early years at the Bar involved working through Saturdays and Sundays.
“In Bangalore, we had no holidays. The only holiday was Sunday, and even then, we worked until 4:30 pm. Otherwise, we were always working… the earliest we left was 11:30 pm, and sometimes as late as 1:30 am,” he said.
He also recalled attending court proceedings shortly after his wedding. “You got married the day before yesterday, and you are here,” he said.
Explaining his decision, he added, “I did not want to lose the flow of reasoning… I wanted to learn.”
Remarks spark work-life balance debate online
The judge’s remarks reignited the work-life balance debate on social media, with several X users drawing parallels to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, who had earlier advocated 70-hour work weeks for nation-building, triggering widespread backlash.
More recently, in 2025, Larsen & Toubro chairman SN Subrahmanyan stirred controversy with his remarks on extended work hours. During an employee interaction, when asked why the multi-billion-dollar conglomerate still required employees to work on Saturdays, he said, “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I could, I would be happier, because I work on Sundays.”
Meanwhile, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla has consistently maintained that “eight hours a day is enough” for work.
“I would say I work eight hours a day—sometimes on weekends, if needed. There may be days when I go slope skiing; it depends. There have also been times when I’ve worked 16 hours a day. During Covid-19, I was returning home at 11 pm. So, it all depends on the journey and the stage you are at.
If you are an entrepreneur building your business, you absolutely should work hard and do whatever it takes. After that, at the senior level, it is about the quality of work—working smart and strategically,” Poonawalla said last year.
About the Author
Kanishka Singharia
Kanishka Singharia is a Senior Content Producer at Mint with a passion for news, trends, and the stories shaping the digital world. She specialises in spotting viral narratives by constantly tracking social media platforms and turning them into engaging, reader-friendly stories. Her work ranges from fast-paced breaking updates to sensitive human-interest features, blending speed with clarity. <br><br> With over four years of experience in news and trend reporting, Kanishka has worked with leading organisations such as Hindustan Times and Times Now. She moves seamlessly between profiling business leaders and telling the stories of everyday people, covering national developments just as effortlessly as the memes and conversations that dominate online culture. <br><br> She also reports on real estate developments and civic challenges in major urban hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Gurugram. Her coverage frequently explores the struggles of startup founders, inspiring journeys of CEOs, and the experiences of candidates dealing with the complexities of visa processes. <br><br> Kanishka holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Delhi University and a diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. Rarely offline, she spends much of her time scrolling through X, LinkedIn, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook in search of the next big story. When she finally logs off, she enjoys binge-watching shows and exploring cafes in pursuit of good food and better conversations.
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