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Larsen & Toubro Chairman and Managing Director S N Subrahmanyan has clarified his controversial remark about employees working on Sundays
Larsen & Toubro Chairman and Managing Director S N Subrahmanyan has clarified his controversial remark about employees working on Sundays
Larsen & Toubro Chairman and Managing Director S N Subrahmanyan has sought to clarify his controversial comment on employees working on Sundays, saying it was made casually in the backdrop of mounting client concerns over project delays.
Client Pressure Behind the Remark
“There were serious issues on my mind. Five or six clients, including some very high-profile ones, personally called, emailed, and questioned me about our progress. We were struggling to mobilize staff and labour, and projects were not moving despite my involvement. Being called out at that level was not good for me or the organization,” Subrahmanyan told Moneycontrol.
He stressed that his response during the conversation was casual, but the interaction was recorded despite rules prohibiting it. “When one gentleman asked me the question, I answered casually. But the recording was against the statutory warning. In hindsight, I could have spoken differently. Normally, I speak in an easy manner, that’s my style. My wife also felt bad because her name got dragged into it.”
“Performance Is Our Oxygen”
Admitting the episode had weighed on him, Subrahmanyan said: “It has not been easy. It preyed on my mind. But what happened, happened. I cannot withdraw it now. If a similar question comes in a similar mood, maybe I’ll answer differently. At the time, performance was poor—and performance is our oxygen. When it slips, things come out that way.”
Last month, L&T’s annual report showed Subrahmanyan’s remuneration rose nearly 50% in FY25 to Rs 76.25 crore from Rs 51.05 crore a year earlier, largely on account of stock options exercised during the year.
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a…Read More
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a… Read More
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