The tragic death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a 26-year-old employee of EY India, has ignited widespread outrage and discussions about workplace conditions in high-pressure environments. Anna, who joined EY India just four months ago in March, was set to marry this month, according to her cousin, Sunil George Kuruvilla.
In a heartfelt tribute, Kuruvilla revealed that Anna faced a significant crossroads in her career when deciding between pursuing an MBA or a Chartered Accountancy (CA) degree. She ultimately chose the latter, joining EY after completing her studies. Reflecting on her choice, he quoted Robert Frost’s poem, stating, “And that has made all the difference.”
Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, expressed her grief in a letter to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, highlighting the immense workload her daughter faced. Augustine noted that Anna had been complaining of chest constriction due to the demands of her job, often returning to her paying guest accommodation around 1 AM. Despite her condition, Anna insisted on going to work, fearing the backlog of tasks would leave her without leave.
“She was full of life, dreams, and excitement for the future,” Augustine wrote, sharing that Anna had passed her CA exams on November 23 and started her career at EY with great enthusiasm. However, her life was cut tragically short when she passed away on July 20, 2024.
The family was further hurt by the absence of any representatives from EY at Anna’s funeral, a sentiment echoed by her mother, who hoped her letter would lead to meaningful changes in workplace policies to prevent similar tragedies.
In response, Rajiv Memani acknowledged the family’s pain, stating that he could empathize with their grief as a father himself. He expressed regret that no one from the company attended the funeral, labeling it “alien” to EY’s culture. “I truly regret the fact that we missed being present at Anna’s funeral. This has never happened before; it will never happen again,” he affirmed.
Memani pledged to prioritize the well-being of employees, emphasizing his commitment to creating a harmonious workplace and stating, “I will not rest until that objective is accomplished.”
Sources By Agencies
