Anna Sebastian Perayil, who cleared the chartered account (CA) exam in November and was working at the Pune office of Ernst & Young (EY), passed away at 26. In a letter to Rajiv Memani, chairman of EY India, her grieving mother, Anita Augustine, alleged relentless work pressure as the cause of Anna's death. Further, the mother alleged that no one from EY attended the funeral of her daughter. EY has not yet responded to the letter or email sent by Moneylife.
The letter of Ms Augustine, available on social media, states, "She (Anna) 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 began experiencing anxiety, sleeplessness and stress soon after joining, but she kept pushing herself, believing that hard work and perseverance were the keys to success."
"Anna's experience sheds light on a work culture that seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human beings behind the roles. This is not just about my daughter; it's about every young professional who joins EY filled with hopes and dreams, only to be crushed under the weight of unrealistic expectations. I took time to read EY's human rights statement, which bears your signature. I cannot reconcile the values expressed in that statement with the reality my daughter faced. How can EY begin to truly live by the values it professes?" she asks Mr Memani.
According to Ms Augustine, Anna's exhaustion was evident as she would often collapse on her bed after returning to her paying guest (PG) accommodation, sometimes without even changing her clothes, only to be bombarded with further requests for reports. "Anna would never have blamed her managers. She was too kind for that," she says. "But I cannot remain silent. Burdening newcomers with such backbreaking work, making them work day and night, even on Sundays, has no justification whatsoever."
"This is a systemic issue that goes beyond individual managers or teams. The relentless demands and pressure to meet unrealistic expectations are not sustainable, and they cost us the life of a young woman with so much potential," the grieving mother says.
She also highlights that no one from EY attended Anna's funeral. "This absence at such a critical moment, for an employee who gave her all to your organisation until her last breath, is deeply hurtful...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?"
Moneylife sent an email to EY and will update this article as soon as we receive a reply.
The issue of long working hours has been debated hotly in India when Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, in a podcast, said that if India wants to compete with developed economies that have made remarkable progress in recent decades, young people should work for 70 hours a week.
However, this statement caused an uproar on social media. As Moneylife wrote, it would be wrong to dismiss the reaction he triggered as that of entitled youngsters fretting at the suggestion that they should work harder. In fact, barring a small group of supporters, Mr Murthy's call provoked a strong response from every section of society. Women pointed out that they already work over 70 hours since they continue to have primary responsibility for running their homes, looking after children and even aged parents. Youngsters raised concerns about health, long commutes and work-life balance. (
Read: Why Did NRN's Call for a 70-hour Week Cause an Explosion of Rage?)
In October 2019, Supriya Sule, a member of Parliament (MP) from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), now NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), had introduced a private member's bill on the right to disconnect.
"To keep the work-life balance of the employees and, in turn, increase their productivity and performance, it is essential for them to take a much-needed break from everyday work hustles or digital distractions and truly bond with the people around them. The Bill seeks to recognise the right to disconnect as a way to reduce stress and ease tension between an employee's personal and professional life," the MP says.
However, so far the Bill has not been discussed in the Lok Sabha.
France, Belgium, and Italy already have laws regulating the right to disconnect. In fact, France was the first country to introduce the right to disconnect way back in 2017.
Last month, Australia passed its new right to disconnect law which allows employees the right to refuse employer or third-party contact outside of working hours. It came into effect for companies with more than 15 employees. For smaller companies, the law will be implemented from August 2025.
I know of our neighbor who leaves for EY at 8.00 AM & returns back at 9.30 PM every single day of week (for last 15+ years in Mumbai).
There are NO WORKING HOUR RULES enforced in India, while these companies PAY MORE to juice the employees life!
Let’s ensure that no job comes at the cost of well-being.
—
CA Chetan Nandkishor Nogaja
9272182553
As a CA, she can’t be new to hard work- how did she get through her exams?
Please don't be judgemental without knowing anything
While Manager at EY know his conscious better , I have nothing much to add or take a judgmental view., after all it is welcome that union govt take note of the mater.
Respectful homage to the departed soul of Late CA Anna., and my prayers with her parents, near & dear ones and all her Guide & Guru's whom she made proud during her short life in this earth.
What a pathetic organization! Saddened to read this awful story. I think that B-School placement officers should consider ethics and work-life balance before bringing in companies to campus.
Most shameful of all was that no EY staff even came for Anna's funeral.
SHAME!!