'Suffered anxiety attacks, called her mother daily in tears': EY Pune employee Anna Sebastian Perayil's sudden death leaves kin and friends shocked

NEW DELHI: Anna Sebastian Perayil, 26, from Kangarappady, Kochi, who died to alleged work-related stress just four months after joining Ernst & Young (EY) in Pune. Her sudden death has sparked nationwide concern.

Ann Mariya, a school friend from Rajagiri Public School, remembered Anna as a bright student and a perfectionist. Yet, Anna had called her friends in Pune, breaking down over the phone.

Another friend, Ann Treasa Joseph, recalled how Anna would call her mother in tears almost every day.

"Anita Aunty often said how overwhelmed Anna was with work at EY. Even at night, she was assigned tasks. During a visit home after four months, Anna confided that she was considering quitting due to stress. She felt isolated without close friends in Pune and was trying to transfer to EY Kochi. Her mother kept advising her to leave if it became too toxic," said Ann Treasa, according to a report published in Onmanorama.

Mariya, another close friend, recounted their last conversation just two hours before Anna’s death, where Anna shared her struggles with work-related stress. "She was planning to resign, and her parents fully supported her decision. She had raised concerns with HR but was met with indifference. Neither her manager nor assistant manager showed any empathy towards her health. Even Anna’s mother tried reaching out to them but got no response," Mariya recalled, citing a report from Onmanorama.

The report further mentioned that Anna had experienced anxiety attacks, yet no one stepped forward to help.

In a letter to Rajiv Memani, the firm’s India chief, Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, alleged that her daughter, a chartered accountant, died of cardiac arrest caused by excessive workload. Anita emphasized that this issue isn't just about Anna, but about the unrealistic pressures faced by many young IT professionals today.

According to Anna's parents, she had no prior medical conditions before joining Ernst & Young on March 18 this year. They believe that the excessive workload, including tasks outside regular office hours, led to her untimely death on July 21.

"Anna was always a fighter," her mother, Anita, wrote in a letter to EY India’s chief.

"From childhood through her academic years, she excelled in everything she did. She was a school and college topper, excelled in extracurricular activities, and passed her CA exams with distinction. At EY, she worked tirelessly, giving her all to meet the demands placed on her."