L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan Faces Backlash Over ₹51 Crore Salary and 90-Hour Work Week Remark

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) chairman SN Subrahmanyan earned a total of ₹51 crore in compensation for the fiscal year 2023-24, as reported by The New Indian Express. His earnings are 534.57 times higher than the median salary of L&T employees.

The ₹51 crore package includes a base salary of ₹3.6 crore, ₹1.67 crore in allowances, ₹35.28 crore in commission, and ₹10.5 crore in retirement benefits. His pay saw a 43.11% increase compared to the previous year, raising questions about L&T’s pay structure and work culture.

Dear Sir,
Chairman and MD L&T,
Mr Subrahmanyan,
After one or two years of marriage, nobody stares at their wife or spouse. But yes, those hardworking people who work for your company don't have 7 to 8 servants to do the pending jobs piling up at home like washing clothes,… pic.twitter.com/pZXUxZabHL

— Dr Poornima 🇮🇳 (@PoornimaNimo) January 9, 2025

Subrahmanyan has also drawn criticism for his recent comments suggesting employees should work 90 hours a week. “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be happier because I work on Sundays. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wife stare at the husband? If you want to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys,” he said.

L&T salaries:

2014:
Median salary of employee: ₹5L
S. N. Subrahmanyan salary: ₹13.26Cr

2024:
Median salary of employee: ₹9.77L
S. N. Subrahmanyan salary: ₹51.05Cr

CAGR:
Employee: 6.93%
Subrahmanyan: 14.43%

Now you know why he's a fan of a 90-hour workweek.

— Money Theory (@money_theory) January 9, 2025

Social media users were quick to condemn his remarks, pointing out that his high income and privileged lifestyle spare him from everyday chores, unlike his employees. “Hardworking people in your company don’t have 7 to 8 servants to do household tasks like cleaning cars, taking care of kids, or even getting a haircut,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).

The backlash spread widely, with criticism coming from public figures like Deepika Padukone and billionaire Harsh Goenka.

In response, an L&T spokesperson defended the chairman, stating, “At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. The Chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasizing that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort.”