Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, working with multinational consulting firm Ernst & Young (EY) as a chartered accountant, died on July 20. Her mother Anita Augustine's open letter to the company alleging that Anna succumbed to "work pressure," has caused a stir on social media, triggering heated discussions about "toxic" workplaces. In the letter to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, Augustine claimed that no one from the company attended her daughter’s funeral. “No one from EY attended Anna's funeral… After her funeral, I reached out to her managers, but I received no reply. How can a company that speaks of values and human rights fail to show up for one of its own in their final moments?” Augustine wrote in her letter. Augustine claimed that Anna worked late till night, and on weekends, and would return to her paying guest accommodation completely exhausted. “Anna was a school topper, and a college topper, excelled in extracurricular activities, and passed her CA exams with distinction. She worked tirelessly at EY, giving her all to meet the demands placed on her. However, the workload, new environment, and long hours took a toll on her physically, emotionally, and mentally,” she wrote. “Anna confided in us about the overwhelming workload, especially the additional tasks assigned verbally, beyond the official work. I would tell her not to take on such tasks, but the managers were relentless,” Augustine wrote. Take a look at the post here: Heartbreaking news from EY Pune - a young CA succumbed to the work pressure and nobody from EY even attended her funeral - this is so appalling and nasty!!! pic.twitter.com/pt8ThUKiNR — Malavika Rao (@kaay_rao) September 17, 2024 Augustine’s post is viral and getting a lot of reactions. "Work culture in India is horrendous to say the least. An Indian employee never switches off even after official work hours and that is made the "acceptable" norm. Those who don't work after office are made to feel they are without work and are enjoying life," a user wrote. "Narayanmurthy must be called out too as he encourages such a toxic culture," another user said. “File a case against the company and its Directors. They all are responsible for her death,” a third user commented. Amid the ongoing social media outrage, EY India extended condolences. “We are deeply saddened by Anna Sebastian's tragic and untimely passing in July 2024, and our deepest condolences go to the bereaved family. Anna was a part of the Audit team at S R Batliboi, a member firm of EY Global, in Pune for a brief period of four months, joining the firm on 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us. While no measure can compensate for the loss experienced by the family, we have provided all the assistance as we always do in such times of distress and will continue to do so," the statement said, as reported by news agency PTI.
