This Week in Explainers: Why does Narayana Murthy want Indians to work 70 hours a week?

It was yet another action-packed week. India’s diplomatic challenges continue. Canada has been a pain point for weeks now. New Delhi continues to walk the diplomatic tightrope in West Asia, as the Israel-Hamas war enters its third week. And now Qatar has given New Delhi reasons to worry. We’ll tell you all about it.

Domestic politics continues to be dirty with the usual mudslinging. The spotlight is now on Trinamool’s Mahua Moitra, who has been accused of taking bribes for asking questions in Parliament. She will have to appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee. Wonder what it is. We explain.

The season of festivities has begun in India. This week, the country celebrated Dussehra, which was preceded by nine nights of dancing the garba. But for some, it didn’t turn out to be a joyous time.

All this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers.

1. The week began on a heartbreaking note. Festivals are a time of revelry. Navratri is synonymous with garba. But this year, the dancing led to deaths. In Gujarat, 10 died of heart attacks in 24 hours during garba celebrations. This included teenagers and middle-aged people. What went wrong? Is COVID-19 to blame or unhealthy lifestyles? We tell you.

2. With the Dusshera holiday falling on Tuesday, this was a shorter work week. It was reason enough to rejoice for millions who are part of India’s big fat workforce. The country is among those with the longest work hours. And now there is someone who wants you to work longer. Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has triggered a debate and a lot of outrage (much justified) after he pitched for a 70-hour workweek. What’s the ideal work time and what do studies say? We map it out for you.

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3. Talking about the workforce, there are reasons for Indians in the US to sit up and take notice. The Joe Biden administration has proposed changes to the H1-B visa process. What are they and what does it mean for the desis in the country? Here are some answers.

4. Another country which Indians throng to in search of work is Qatar. Some 800,000 live and work in the country. The spotlight right now is on eight – a group of former Indian Navy officers who have been sentenced to death in the West Asian country. While charges against them are not public, there is speculation that they were spying for Israel. We explain the case and the consequences.

5. Crimes continue to grab headlines. A horrific murder from Mumbai surfaced. A man planned the murder of his two unmarried sisters. The reason? He was fed up of them. What inspired him to kill them? The crime thriller Drishyam. This is the story of how a clerk from Palghar murdered his sisters and tried to mislead investigators.

That’s all from India this week. If you like the way we explain, watch out this space for more.

PS: And if you need something to cheer about, there is always Team India. The Men in Blue take on England tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that the winning streak continues. Catch all analysis by our Sports Editor Rupha Ramani here.