Sadaf Fatima, an employee at HDFC Bank, tragically died at work after falling off her chair at the bank’s Vibuti Khand branch in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, she was declared dead upon arrival. The incident comes just days after the death of an Ernst & Young (EY) India employee in Pune, who reportedly succumbed to work-related stress.
Fatima held the position of additional deputy vice-president at the bank. Colleagues, speaking anonymously, indicated that work pressure may have contributed to her fall. Following her death, her body was sent for a postmortem examination.
In response to the incident, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav criticized the pervasive work pressure experienced in both government and private sectors, stating that many employees work out of “compulsion.” He expressed concern that the conditions for workers have deteriorated to the point where they resemble bonded laborers, with little opportunity to voice their struggles.
Yadav also commented on a recent suggestion from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who advised stressed youth to seek lessons in stress management. He criticized her for diverting attention from the need to improve working conditions, arguing that such remarks only exacerbate public frustration in light of recent tragedies.
Background on the EY Pune Incident
In a related incident, Anna Sebastian Perayil, a new hire at EY India, passed away after just four months with the company, which her mother attributed to a culture that glorifies overwork. Anna, who had recently passed her CA exams, was overwhelmed by excessive workloads, working late nights and weekends. Her mother’s letter highlighted that Anna was exhausted after each day at work, and noted that no representatives from the company attended her funeral.
