Pune: 26-Year-Old Dies of 'Work Stress' Four Months after Joining
A 26-year-old woman died from work stress at EY Pune, raising concerns about the company's toxic work culture.
A 26-year-old Chartered Accountant, Anna Sebastian Perayil, tragically passed away in July 2024, just four months after joining Ernst & Young (EY) Pune. Her family claims that extreme work pressure led to her untimely death.
Anna, originally from Kerala, had recently cleared her CA exams and joined S R Batliboi, a sub-company of EY, in the Audit department in March 2024. According to her mother, Anita Augustine, Anna quickly became overwhelmed by the demanding workload, experiencing anxiety, sleeplessness, and stress soon after starting the job. Despite these challenges, Anna pushed herself, believing hard work was key to success.
Anita revealed that Anna was often assigned tasks outside her official duties and worked late into the night, sometimes even on weekends. One night, her boss reportedly gave her an unrealistic deadline for a task, telling her, “You can work at night; that’s what we all do.”
Anna’s health worsened in the weeks leading up to her death. She experienced chest pains, and although an ECG showed no serious issues, the doctor suggested her symptoms were due to lack of sleep and irregular eating.
Following Anna’s death, her mother wrote an open letter to EY India’s head, Rajiv Memani, criticizing the company for its unhealthy work culture and lack of support for employees. She urged EY to reflect on the incident and make meaningful changes to protect employees' well-being.
Anna’s passing has sparked a debate about toxic work environments in India, with many people sharing their experiences on social media. EY issued a statement expressing condolences but has yet to address specific allegations.
India’s Labour and Employment Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, has ordered an inquiry into the matter. Additionally, it was revealed that EY Pune has been operating without a labour welfare permit, a legal requirement to regulate working hours, since its establishment in 2007. The company has been given seven days to provide a satisfactory explanation, failing which legal action may follow.
The tragic incident has raised serious questions about work-life balance and employee well-being in India’s corporate sector.
