"Even At Rs 1 Crore Salaries": US CEO Claims Indian Tech Workers Lack Work Ethic

Varun Vummadi, a San Francisco-based CEO and IIT alumnus has publicly criticised the work ethic of Indian software engineers. In a post on X, he stated that despite high salaries (up to Rs 1 crore), they are unwilling to work hard and are largely resistant to six-day work weeks, posing significant challenges for his company's Indian hiring efforts.

"I've noticed a pattern in hiring engineers for our Indian office," Mr Vummadi wrote on X. "Even with a base salary of Rs 1 crore, many are unwilling to work hard. A significant number of engineers with 3-8 years of experience are reluctant to work six days a week."

With over 369,000 views, Varun Vummadi's X post resonated with many users. The comments section revealed a common sentiment: the pursuit of work-life balance is a concern shared by professionals in various fields, not solely engineers.

I've noticed a pattern in hiring engineers for our Indian office. Even with a base salary of ₹1 crore, many are unwilling to work hard. A significant number of engineers with 3–8 years of experience are reluctant to work six days a week.

— Varun Vummadi (@varunvummadi) January 30, 2025

"Be it any field, the days of 'pay high salary and make them work 24x7' are gone, in my opinion," a user wrote. "Five days work week and eight hours per day are conducive to mental and physical health. And also productivity."

Another user commented, "Offer them five days a week and Rs 75 lakh. I am glad some people are prioritising mental health and family over money."

"Weird way to phrase that a lot of 26-32 year people prefer having a two-day weekend in their lives. Sounds pretty normal to me," commented a user on X.

Mr Vummadi's comments come amid a work-life balance debate ignited by L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan's remarks about employees working Sundays. Some X users questioned Vummadi's own push for a six-day work week.

"Why not hire two engineers and expect reasonable working hours from them?" a user asked.