Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy is back in controversy over his recent comments on parenting and education for children. Delivering a speech at the launch of 13th edition of the book Conceptual Physics authored by Paul Hewitt, Murthy targeted the parents who are involved in entertainment expecting children to study and this created a furore in various social networking sites.
Murthy’s comments focused on the role of parents in the upbringing of their children, and more so on the aspect of discipline in the upbringing of children especially as it relates to the education of children. He used examples from his own experiences with his wife Sudha on how they spent more than 3 and half hours of the day with their children during their school going age not just teaching them but showing them how it is done.
Tech mogul’s statements have been met by both approval and disapproval, with many people stating that his view of parenting is highly privileged and does not take into consideration the issues families face in various socio-economic brackets. The critics have come out on the social platforms to express their concerns in the best ways parents struggle to balance work and other responsibilities.
This is not the first time Murthy has received criticism for his opinions about work and education as well. His recent recommendation to young Indians that they should work 70 hours a week in order to boost the nation’s productivity raised a lot of controversy regarding work-life balance and burnout.
Likewise, his stand against working from home due to COVID-19 received varying responses, and many people wondered how possible it was for him to implement such a policy given the current trends in workplace flexibility.
Murthy’s recent remarks have again sparked debates on the part played by people in defining education values for future generation. From his position in the Indian tech industry, his opinion on parenting, education, and work and family balance has impacted the society.
Nevertheless, the debates over his statements emphasize the necessity of providing wider discussions, which may encompass various difficulties of families at the present stage.
Criticism over Murthy’s comments about parenting reveals a larger issue of how the society perceives parenting and the need to consider the variations in family structures when addressing disciplin and education. It also makes one wonder about the role of the public figures especially in the crafting of discourses about such issues.
This ongoing debate is a good indication of the fact that parenting has not remained the same in the society and as such, there is need for people to understand the various changes that have occurred and embrace the change as they look for new ways to educate their young ones.
Although, Murthy might have good intentions of encouraging discipline and focus in learning, the issues he has brought out are very sensitive and therefore the need to consider various angles of the matter.
The controversy that arose after Murthy’s comments is indicative of social concerns for work, education and family responsibilities in a rapidly changing and challenging environment. In this regard, the incident is significant as the public seeks to understand the changes that are taking place in the society and how the future of parenting and education will look like.