"We Have Provided All The Assistance...": EY India Responds To Anna Sebastian Perayil's Death
The death of 26-year-old Chartered Accountant Anna Sebastian Perayil has raised serious concerns about the corporate culture at EY India. Anna, who joined EY’s Pune office in March 2024, died just four months later, allegedly due to excessive work pressure. Her grieving mother, Anita Augustine, has written an open letter to Rajiv Memani, Chairman of EY India, holding the firm responsible for her daughter’s untimely death.
In response, EY India released a statement expressing their condolences and acknowledging the tragic loss. “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 March 18, 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us,” the statement read.
EY India also stressed that they are committed to the well-being of their employees, adding, “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. We are taking the family’s correspondence with the utmost seriousness and humility.”
A letter from Rajiv Memani, reportedly sent to EY employees, echoed the sentiment. Memani wrote, “Though no words can comfort a grieving family, I have personally expressed my condolences and have shared my deepest regret for their irreparable loss.” He further stated, “Our firm places the highest importance on the health and well-being of our people, and we will recommit ourselves to providing a supportive, healthy, and balanced work environment to you all.”
Memani also reassured staff that EY has well-being programs and open channels of communication, such as the Speak Up forum and Ethics Hotline, to allow employees to voice concerns anonymously. He added, “If you ever face challenges or need guidance, I will strongly encourage you to please reach out to your team leaders, members of the talent team, and your support network across the firm.”
Anita’s letter, which went viral and was part of discourse online and offline for the last 24 hours, paints a heartbreaking picture of Anna’s last few months at the firm, describing her daughter as “full of life, dreams, and excitement” when she first joined EY. Anna had recently passed her CA exams in November 2023, and EY was her first job. According to her mother, Anna soon found herself overwhelmed by the relentless work demands, leading to anxiety, sleepless nights, and deteriorating health. Despite these red flags, Anna continued to work late nights and weekends, believing hard work would secure her future.
“She worked late into the night, even on weekends, with no opportunity to catch her breath,” Anita wrote. The breaking point came during Anna’s CA Convocation in July, when her parents travelled from Kochi to Pune to attend the ceremony. Even on that day, Anna was working from home until the afternoon. “It was my daughter’s great dream to take her parents to her convocation with her own hard-earned money. She booked our flight tickets and took us. It breaks my heart to tell you that even during those two days, which were the last we would spend with our child, she couldn’t enjoy them because of the work pressure,” Anita recalled.
Anita’s letter also revealed the toxic work environment that Anna encountered. When Anna joined her team, she was informed that several employees had already resigned due to the overwhelming workload. Her team manager even told her, “Anna, you must stick around and change everyone’s opinion about our team.” Anita reflected, “My child didn’t realise she would pay for that with her life.”
One particularly distressing incident involved Anna’s assistant manager assigning her a task late at night, demanding it be completed by the following morning. When Anna voiced her concerns, she was dismissed with the response, “You can work at night; that’s what we all do.” Anita described how her daughter would often collapse on her bed after long hours, only to receive further demands for reports. Despite her parents’ pleas for her to quit, Anna persevered, determined to learn and gain experience.
In her letter, Anita condemned EY’s work culture, describing it as one that “glorifies overwork while neglecting the very human beings behind the roles.” She also questioned how the company could reconcile its human rights statement, signed by Rajiv Memani, with the reality that Anna faced. Anita also expressed deep hurt over the fact 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,” she wrote.
Anita concluded her letter by urging EY to reflect on its work culture and take meaningful steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future. “Anna’s death should serve as a wake-up call for EY. It is time to reflect on the work culture within your organisation and take meaningful steps to prioritise the health and wellness of your employees,” she wrote.
The tragic story of Anna Sebastian’s death has cast a harsh light on the corporate culture at EY and raised serious concerns about the pressures faced by young professionals in such environments. As Anita wrote, “I hope my child’s experience leads to real change so that no other family has to endure the grief and trauma we are going through. My Anna is no longer with us, but her story can still make a difference.”
