Ex Infosys employee recalls 1990s IT life after canteen video goes viral: ‘We slogged like hell’
After a 1990s Infosys canteen video went viral, an ex-employee recalled how the early IT generation worked tirelessly while shaping India’s tech future.
A former Infosys employee has offered an insightful reflection on life at the company during the 1990s after an old video from the Infosys canteen in Bengaluru resurfaced online. The clip, shared on X with the caption, “Footage from Infosys canteen, Bengaluru in 1990s. Almost everyone in this is probably a multi-millionaire and settled abroad today,” sparked a wave of nostalgia and conversation among users.
Responding to the video, a user named SK wrote, “Clean-shaven, fitter bodies, no potbellies, no phones glued to hands, no AI-induced job anxiety. Just genuine laughs and cross-cultural friendships. What a blessed era to work in IT.”
Take a look here at the post:
‘We slogged like hell’ says ex-employee
Joining the discussion, former Infosys professional Param Arunachalam, who worked at the company during that time, shared a candid account of his experience. “I’m ex-Infosys from that period. 20-somethings now are fitter, more health conscious than we were. I think there were more smokers and drinkers then amongst us,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}Joining the discussion, former Infosys professional Param Arunachalam, who worked at the company during that time, shared a candid account of his experience. “I’m ex-Infosys from that period. 20-somethings now are fitter, more health conscious than we were. I think there were more smokers and drinkers then amongst us,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}He went on to describe the long working hours that shaped the IT culture of that era. “We slogged like hell. A 15-hour workday was routine. I spent 50+ hours in the office once. Don’t be misled by 90-second videos. It was a great time to work though, but that was because we had humbler backgrounds than the average employee now and we had more or better opportunities because the industry was nascent. My first onsite trip was before I completed my first year in Infosys and there were others in my batch who went before me.”
{{/usCountry}}He went on to describe the long working hours that shaped the IT culture of that era. “We slogged like hell. A 15-hour workday was routine. I spent 50+ hours in the office once. Don’t be misled by 90-second videos. It was a great time to work though, but that was because we had humbler backgrounds than the average employee now and we had more or better opportunities because the industry was nascent. My first onsite trip was before I completed my first year in Infosys and there were others in my batch who went before me.”
{{/usCountry}}Check out the post here:
Early days at Infosys Mangalore
In another post, Arunachalam fondly recalled the early days of Infosys Mangalore. “Our batch of the first 20 employees of Infosys Mangalore were featured in a recruitment ad in Udayavani about three months after we joined! We were living the dream. I’m the rightmost guy in the first row,” he wrote.
Reflecting on the workplace culture, he added, “Of course, I was part of Infy Mangalore so my experiences were different from my big city counterparts in Bengaluru– we were more tight-knit and fun.”
Online reactions and appreciation
Arunachalam’s post quickly gained traction, amassing over two lakh views on X. One user commented, “Great post. Would love to hear your career trajectory after that and financial condition too.” Another added, “Concept of work life balance was introduced in onsite trips.”
Others praised the authenticity of his response. “Right. That’s true picture of sick a media (aka social media). They trip at every video. 90’s have worked really really hard in IT sectors to bring this country here. As much as steel and iron and power did in 70-80’s,” wrote one. Another said, “Agreed. Demand was more than supply in 90s.” One user summed up the general sentiment saying, “From what you said, I can only conclude that was a great time to be working for Infosys than now.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
