The death of a 26-year-old Indian employee at a leading accounting firm has triggered a nationwide debate on workplace culture and employee welfare. Anna Sebastian Perayil, a chartered accountant at Ernst & Young (EY), passed away in July, four months after joining the firm. Her parents claim that “overwhelming work pressure” contributed to her deteriorating health and untimely death.
EY has denied these allegations, stating that Perayil was assigned tasks similar to those given to other employees and that the company does not believe work pressure led to her death.
Perayil’s death has sparked a larger discussion about “hustle culture” in corporate environments, where long hours and constant productivity are often glorified, sometimes at the expense of employee well-being. While some argue that this culture fuels innovation and ambition, others say it fosters burnout and a poor quality of life.
The tragedy gained attention after Perayil’s mother, Anita Augustine, wrote an open letter to EY, which went viral on social media. In the letter, Augustine detailed her daughter’s experience of working late nights and weekends, and urged the firm to “reflect on its work culture” and prioritize the health of its employees. She wrote, “The relentless demands and unrealistic expectations are unsustainable, and they cost us the life of a young woman with immense potential.”
The incident has led to widespread criticism of EY’s work culture, with many employees and former workers sharing their experiences on social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. Some described working long hours without overtime pay, while others alleged being mocked for leaving work on time and criticized for taking weekends off.
In response, EY India’s chief, Rajiv Memani, affirmed that the well-being of employees is the firm’s “top-most priority” and pledged to personally focus on this issue.
This is not the first time India’s work culture has come under scrutiny. In recent years, prominent business leaders have advocated for longer working hours. Last year, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy faced backlash for suggesting that young Indians should work 70-hour weeks to drive economic growth. Ola India chief Bhavesh Aggarwal and Shantanu Deshpande, founder of Bombay Shaving Company, have also promoted similar views, rejecting the concept of work-life balance.
However, mental health experts and labor rights advocates argue that such demands place immense pressure on employees. Perayil’s mother said her daughter experienced “anxiety and sleeplessness” soon after joining EY, highlighting the toll such work cultures can take on mental health.
India is known to have one of the longest working hours globally. A report from the International Labour Organisation found that half of India’s workforce works over 49 hours per week, placing the country second only to Bhutan.
Labour economist Shyam Sunder said that India’s work culture shifted after the 1990s with the rise of the service sector, allowing firms to bypass labor laws and impose demanding work schedules. He believes that true change in corporate culture requires a “mindset shift” where work is valued but not seen as the sole purpose of life.
Chandrasekhar Sripada, a professor at the Indian School of Business, echoed these sentiments, stating that toxic work culture is a “complex, multi-stakeholder problem” that requires a collective effort from industry leaders, managers, employees, and society. He emphasized the need for a shift towards sustainable work practices, noting that countries like those in Scandinavia have already created healthier work environments, providing a model for India to follow.
Until then, he warned, measures like mental health support or leave policies may remain symbolic gestures rather than real solutions.
