Nikhil couldn't bear the weight of extreme work hours. No one should have to.
Just a few months ago, the same tragedy shook us and we already struggle to recall that name.
We posted RIP.
We wrote "This is unfair."
And thenā¦ deadlines kept coming, projects kept shipping, appraisal cycles rolled on.
Today, 99 out of 100 people couldn't tell you who that young consultant was.
Her name was Anna Sebastian.
I don't blame you. I blame all of us, myself included because we helped build a culture where:
- Competition beats compassion.
- Promotion outranks people.
-Ā Billable hours swallow human hours.
We forgot that before titles, before salaries, we're human beings with limits, fears, and quiet cries for help.
It didn't have to end this way, not for him, not for the others.
But the story keeps ending the same because, in real life, the system knows we'll move on.
And as long as we keep moving on, nothing changes.
I'm done ending with "We could haveā¦"
Here's what I'm doing today:
1. Ask, don't assume. One genuine "How are you really?" can open a door.
2. Protect the overwhelmed. Speak up when workload turns abusive, even if it's "not your project."
3. Model boundaries. When you log off on time, you give silent permission for others to do the same.
4. Remember their names. Write them down. Say them out loud. They mattered.
If you feel the ground slipping, reach out: DM me, call a friend, call a helpline.
If you see someone slipping, grab their hand before you grab another task.
Let's prove that a profitable quarter doesn't have to cost a priceless life.
Let's make sure no one else becomes "the one we forgot."
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