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In a recent development, an email from Ernst & Young (EY) India Chairman Rajiv Memani addressing the tragic death of a young employee, Anna Sebastian Perayil, has surfaced online despite a “do not forward” instruction. The 26-year-old had joined EY’s audit and assurance team in Pune in March and died four months later, allegedly due to overwhelming work stress. Employee's Mother Raises Concerns About EY Work Culture Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, wrote a letter to Memani, highlighting the excessive workload her daughter faced, including long hours, lack of weekends, and late returns to her accommodation.
"Anna was burdened with backbreaking work," Augustine stated, adding that her daughter often came back “utterly exhausted,” sometimes not even changing her clothes before collapsing into bed. Augustine accused the company of failing to provide adequate support during this distressing period and expressed deep disappointment that no one from EY attended Anna’s funeral. She criticized EY for promoting a culture that she described as glorifying overwork while neglecting employee well-being.
“I am writing to you now, Rajiv, because I believe EY has a profound responsibility to ensure the well-being of its employees,” Augustine noted in her letter. EY Chairman Responds to the Incident In response to the viral letter, Memani has allegedly sent an internal email to EY staff under the subject line “News in media,” acknowledging Augustine’s grievances and expressing his condolences to Anna’s family. Despite a directive to keep the email confidential, the email has been leaked on Reddit.
Memani’s email recognized the short tenure of Anna’s employment and reiterated his regret over her untimely death. “I have personally expressed my condolences and have shared my deepest regret for their irreparable loss,” Memani wrote. He assured employees that EY remains committed to fostering a supportive work environment.
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Meanwhile, the authenticity of Memani’s email has not been independently verified by ET, and EY has not yet provided an official statement regarding the incident. The article will be updated once a response from the company is received. You Might Also Like: Death of 26-year-old EY employee sparks social media debate on toxic work culture; company responds by saying.
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