Source: The post India champions hard work over vacation culture has been created, based on the article “Best of Both Sides: 90-hour work week isn’t always bad: Holidays and vacations are colonial hangover” published in “Indian Express” on 17th January 2025
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper1-Society- Woman empowerment & GS3- Economy- Employment
Context: The article defends L&T Chairman S N Subrahmanyan’s advice on hard work, emphasizing India’s cultural ethos of dedication to work. It criticizes excessive vacation culture, highlights the economic need for hard work, and promotes work as a path to national growth.
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How does Indian work culture differ from Western vacation trends?
- Indian ethos values karmayogis (dedicated workers) over vacation bhogis (pleasure-seekers).
- From the Bhagavad Gita to historical practices, Indians focus on completing duties before seeking leisure.
- The “holiday craze” is seen as a colonial influence, copied blindly from the West.
- Indian workers traditionally thrive on vidya (knowledge) and find joy in work.
What demonstrates the importance of hard work?
- L&T’s Success: Larsen & Toubro’s employees refused higher-paying offers due to its supportive, hardworking culture, showcasing how dedication builds trust and growth.
- Leadership Example: PM Modi works tirelessly, even during long flights, inspiring millions.
- Historical Inspiration: Swami Vivekananda’s quote: “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.”
- Worker Dedication: Vegetable vendors start at 4 am, demonstrating the necessity of hard work to support families.
- Global Aspirations: Hard work can make India a manufacturing hub, improving living standards.
What Are the Implications of a Vacation Culture?
- Economic Loss: Excessive holidays, like five to six continuous days off, harm productivity and the economy. For example, West Bengal’s holiday-centric work culture hurt its economy, while Gujarat thrived under a “work hard” ethos.
- Public Work Impact: Frequent holidays delay essential public work, causing inefficiencies.
- Cultural Mismatch: Vacation culture contrasts with India’s ethos of “Karm Hi Puja Hai” (Work is worship).
- State Policies: Holidays declared for festivals or leaders’ anniversaries prioritize votes over economic goals.
Conclusion:
India’s cultural ethos emphasizes hard work, exemplified by L&T’s supportive environment and Prime Minister Modi’s continuous dedication. Excessive holidays are criticized for causing economic losses. The ethos of “work as worship” is advocated as crucial for raising living standards and establishing India as a global manufacturing hub.
Question for practice:
Discuss how India’s cultural ethos of hard work contrasts with the implications of adopting a vacation-centric work culture.
