The True Cost of being an Ideal Employee: Anna Sebastian Perayil

"She had been complaining of chest constriction upon reaching her PG late Saturday night (around 1 AM) for the past week," wrote a grieving mother. As I read the letter penned by Anita Augustine to Rajiv Menani, Chairman of EY India, I feel a constriction in my own chest. It’s a sensation most of us have felt at some point in our lives, all too familiar. But someone can actually die from it?

I’m still trying to process that.

Anxiety and Heart Attack: How are they linked?

Humanity has achieved remarkable advancements in science and medicine, but it has also done so because we have pushed the boundaries of nature in ways once thought unimaginable. It took a global lockdown, widespread mental health crises, and a complete shift in our social, economic, and psychological landscapes to develop a vaccine for a virus that brought 8 billion people to their knees. Yet, we’re still left dumbfounded by something that, deep down, we’ve feared for years: the idea that someone can actually die from work pressure in today’s world.

It’s not so much shocking as it is inevitable. We’ve dreaded this for a long time.

The tragic news of Anna Sebastian Perayil, “died after collapsing in her home”. Her EY colleagues have been informed it was a heart attack. But the question we must ask is: Can anxiety trigger a heart attack?

According to Harvard Health, “There is mounting evidence for an independent anxiety–heart disease link.” Constant, unchecked anxiety can disrupt the body's stress response—the hormonal and physiological reactions that prepare us to fight or flee from real threats. “In people with anxiety disorders, this response becomes erratic, leading to elevated blood pressure, heart rhythm disturbances, and, in severe cases, heart attacks.” Anna did in fact die of work pressure.

Root Cause Analysis

Educational Institutions:

So many of us left home at a young age, moving to big cities for work, education, and the pursuit of our dreams. I did the same in 2018 when I moved to Pune for my MBA. But from the start, I often felt like a misfit in my college—like I was somehow sabotaging my future because I didn’t “respect” or “obey” the system enough. While maintaining discipline, upholding cultural norms, and improving academic performance are essential, I often feel that many Indian colleges enforce strictest of rules more to appease parents and run a business, rather than genuinely creating nurturing and safe environments where young students can learn and explore their career paths. Don’t get me wrong; many of my classmates fit in perfectly, thrived in that system, and graduated with flying colors.

But here’s the problem: “the system” was essentially designed to “prepare students for the corporate world.” It was like witnessing a factory churning out corporate workers instead of cultivating leaders who could help create a fairer, more balanced world.

Let me break it down in one sentence: I PAID an educational institution to TEACH me how to wear a suit and tie while having my basic human rights BULLDOZED by an employer—all in the name of chasing success and recognition in the corporate world.

Not once did a professor teach me that my self-respect, personal boundaries, happiness, or mental and physical well-being were worth 100 times more than any potential success offered by this toxic system. If they had, I wouldn’t have felt so terrified and isolated when I stood up to my toxic manager. Instead, I would’ve confronted that situation with confidence and demanded a fair work environment.

We’ve all been there—crying in the office washroom, wiping away tears, straightening our shirts, and going right back to the grind for the sake of a “brighter future.” We’re taught to endure this broken culture when, in reality, we should be teaching young people to change it.

Glorifying a Hustle Culture:

How many of us take pride in boasting about working late hours, responding to work calls and messages at all hours, with no boundaries? People who think being their boss’s favorite is some kind of badge of honor. Or those who undermine their colleagues just to get ahead. People who don't respect their team’s time and offload their own work in the name of “delegation” when it's really just laziness or incompetence. And let’s not forget those who’ve made work their entire life and somehow find peace in the corporate chaos.

We’re part of the problem. Scratch that—we are the problem.

Next time you leave the office early to have dinner with your family, do it guilt-free. Stop worrying about whether your coworkers think you’re not ambitious enough. They’re not the ones paying your bills.

The Broader Truth:

A recent study reveals that nearly half (42.5%) of employees in the Indian private sector suffer from general anxiety disorder or depression, in contrast with government employees. This alarming statistic is largely a consequence of long work hours, unrealistic key result areas (KRAs), micromanagement, strict leave policies, a highly competitive environment, and low pay. We simply don’t have enough job opportunities to support our vast, employment-hungry population. As a result, the average Indian corporate worker will do anything to secure and retain their job. They are led to believe that stress and frustration are part and parcel of the experience, and even when the pressure becomes unbearable, many feel they have no choice but to endure—they have responsibilities, and the job market is daunting.

Adding insult to injury, public figures like Narayana Murthy and Kangana Ranaut label Indians as lazy and uninspired. With all due respect, Sir and Madam, the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) 2024 estimates reveal that Indians rank among the highest in the world for the longest average working hours, clocking in at 46 hours per week—compared to just 33 hours in the UK and 40 hours in the US. I'm sorry, but a mother trading her daughter’s life for the sake of achieving “developed” country status cannot be your grand plan for making India a more productive nation. How deeply ingrained must this slave mentality be for someone to make such public statements?

In his speech, ‘My Vision for India,’ former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam articulated his vision for nation-building and the aspiration to make India a developed country. He noted, “In 3,000 years of our history, people from all over the world have invaded us, captured our lands, and conquered our minds. Yet, we have not conquered anyone because we respect the freedom of others.”

But what freedom are we truly talking about when a 26-year-old girl is expected to work nights and weekends, sleep-deprived and barely able to catch her breath, all so that a Big Four firm can maintain its status while perpetuating a work culture that is exploitative? It’s a culture that deserves nothing less than a “Shit Four” status. While Ernst & Young may be a trending case, it is by no means the only culprit.

Leading the Way to Change

While EY India Chairman Mr. Rajiv Memani has conveyed his condolences to the girl’s family and promised reforms, I hope this tragic incident serves as a crucial wake-up call for corporate leaders to prioritize the establishment of a positive and safe work culture.

It is imperative that the Union Government goes beyond mere investigations and enforces clear directives and laws that protect the rights and well-being of private sector employees.

It is crucial for HR departments to treat employee well-being and occupational safety as one of their core responsibilities, not just a checkbox.

When managers are promoted to leadership roles, their performance evaluations should include employee satisfaction as a key metric.

Those who contribute to toxic workplace cultures must be held accountable and given the counseling and support necessary for change.

For all of us:

• Refer that friend who’s job hunting; take five minutes to make a few calls.

• Take your team out for a Friday night dinner. Do a review over drinks!

• Treat a colleague to coffee after they’ve had a rough day.

• Share your lunch with the new colleague who hasn’t had a home-cooked meal in weeks.

• Put extra thought into your Secret Santa gift—it’s more than just another water bottle.

• Create small rewards as a manager to keep your team motivated and appreciated.

• Cover for a teammate who needs a day off, even if they faked a sick leave for a beach getaway.

• Celebrate your colleague’s wins with the same energy you’d celebrate your own.

• Collaborate on that tough report, because real leaders lift each other up, not compete.

Let’s honor Anna’s passing by committing ourselves to kindness and responsibility. She was one of us, and she took a bullet for us all. Let’s make sure her sacrifice leads to real change.