L&T CEO SN Subrahmanyan, who pushed for 90-hour workweek, has Rs 51 cr pay package
Mumbai: Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman and Managing Director SN Subrahmanyan, who is at the centre of a controversy over his comments on work-life balance, received a total compensation of Rs 51 crore in the last financial year.
This is a 43.11% increase from the previous year, as per the company’s FY24 annual report, reported The Economic Times.
The breakdown of Subrahmanyan’s remuneration includes Rs 3.6 crore in base salary, Rs 1.67 crore in perks, and Rs 35.28 crore in commission, alongside retirement benefits amounting to Rs 10.5 crore.
Meanwhile, the financial report highlighted stark salary disparities within the organisation.
The average salary for male employees was Rs 9,77,099, while female employees earned an average of Rs 6,76,867, the report said.
Subrahmanyan’s compensation was over 500 times the average salary of an ordinary employee at the firm.
Appointed as L&T’s CMD effective October 1, 2023, Subrahmanyan previously earned Rs 35.67 crore in FY23, according to the report.
The debate on work-life balance resurfaced after Subrahmanyan endorsed a 90-hour workweek in a viral video.
In the undated clip, reportedly from an internal meeting and shared on Reddit, he stated, “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays too.”
He added, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Get to the office and start working.”
The remarks ignited widespread criticism online, with many questioning why employees with significantly lower pay were expected to match a CEO’s gruelling hours.
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone joined the discourse, sharing her disapproval on Instagram. “Shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements,” she wrote, adding the hashtag #MentalHealthMatters.
L&T later issued a clarification, but Padukone responded again, saying, “And they just made it worse…”
The controversy follows similar backlash faced by Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, who last year advocated for a 70-hour workweek to boost productivity.
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