Pune: The tragic death of a 26-year-old employee at Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune has left many in shock. A heart-wrenching letter from the deceased’s mother to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani claims that her daughter was “overworked” and “exhausted,” sparking a vital conversation about work-life balance in the corporate world. This incident has also reignited discussions around Narayana Murthy’s controversial “70-hour work week” comment.

In a conversation last year with former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai, Narayana Murthy suggested that to boost productivity, young people in India should work at least 70 hours a week. This remark triggered heated debates on social media, drawing support and criticism from corporate leaders.

The recent death of the EY employee has intensified these discussions, highlighting the demanding work culture in Indian corporates and serving as a stark reminder of the pressures professionals often endure.

While EY is being shamed it should be said that “late sitting” culture and overworking has been glorified or seen as the norm not only in the Big 4 but many corporates. Remember Narayan Murthy’s 70 hour work week?

— CA Rishika Gupta (@rishrox19) September 18, 2024

In response to the situation, CA Rishika Gupta wrote on X, “While EY is being shamed, it should be said that ‘late sitting’ culture and overworking have been glorified or seen as the norm not only in the Big 4 but also in many corporates. Remember Narayan Murthy’s 70-hour work week?” This post prompted numerous reactions, with some pointing out that overwork is a widespread issue in corporate culture, not just confined to EY or the Big 4. Comments ranged from “Leaving for the day on time is a crime nowadays in corporate culture” to “Mr. Murthy was asking for exactly this.”

Addressing the tragic death, EY released a statement expressing deep sorrow over the loss of Anna Sebastian. The company stated, “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.” They added, “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 18 March 2024. That her promising career was cut short in this tragic manner is an irreparable loss for all of us.”