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Journalism of Courage
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman and Managing Director S N Subrahmanyan has addressed the controversy surrounding his recent remark that employees should work on Sundays. He clarified that the comment was made in a casual context and amid pressure over project delays.
“There were serious issues on my mind,” Subrahmanyan explained in an interview with Moneycontrol on Monday, adding, “Five or six clients, including some very high-profile ones, personally spoke to me, called me, sent emails about our progress. I was worried because we were struggling to mobilise staff and labour, and work was not happening the way it should. Despite my involvement, projects were not moving. It was not good to be called out at that level. It doesn’t reflect well on me or the organisation.”
The L&T chief further emphasised that his remark came during an informal conversation and was not intended to be a directive. He pointed out that the conversation was recorded without consent, despite clear guidelines against it.
“When one gentleman asked me the question, I spoke casually, but it (recording the conversation) went against the rules as there was a statutory warning of no recording,” he said. “On hindsight, I could have answered differently. Normally, I speak in an easy manner. That’s my style. But I acknowledge I could have spoken differently. My wife also felt bad because her name got involved.”
Subrahmanyan admitted the controversy affected him personally. “It has not been easy. It has preyed on my mind. But what happened, happened. I cannot withdraw it now,” he said. “If a similar question comes in a similar mood, maybe I’ll answer differently. There was a bad background then — performance was poor. And performance is our oxygen. When it goes wrong, things come out in that manner. Maybe it could have come out differently.”
The controversial remark came to light shortly after L&T’s annual report revealed a significant increase in Subrahmanyan’s compensation. In the 2024-25 financial year, his total remuneration increased by nearly 50 per cent, reaching Rs 76.25 crore, up from Rs 51.05 crore the previous year, Mint reported.
