Toxic Work Culture Blamed for Ola Engineer’s Death: Examining the Gaps in India’s Labour Laws Protecting Tech Workers

In Bengaluru, a Tragic Loss Occurred

The passing of a young engineer in Bengaluru in the beginning of May 2025 left the whole technology community in India in a state of shock. In the Agara Lake, the body of Nikhil Somwanshi, a machine learning engineer who was 25 years old and worked for Krutrim, the artificial intelligence division of Ola, the ride-hailing behemoth, was discovered.

Within a short period of time, his coworkers and online observers made the connection between his death and a poisonous work atmosphere that was characterized by excessive workloads and harsh management tactics. When the news broke, it prompted a wave of anxiety and introspection across India’s thriving IT sector on the human cost of unrelenting progress and achievement.

The Events That Are Taking Place

In August of 2024, Nikhil had joined Krutrim, having recently graduated from his master’s program with the highest possible grades. Within a short period of time, he was given tasks that were significantly more extensive than those that are common for an entry-level engineer. He was described as straining under the demands of an intimidating manager who was headquartered overseas, and he was taking on the responsibilities of many coworkers who had resigned.

These statements were made in anonymous posts on social media. As the pressure continued to rise, it was claimed that Nikhil took a personal leave of absence in the middle of April. Concern crept into the minds of his coworkers as his absence continued.

On the eighth of May, his body was discovered in the lake, and a police inquiry was initiated at that time. Some of the likely explanations were mentioned in the initial information report; however, it was the charges of abusive behavior and excessive work that drew the attention of the public and sparked arguments.

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A Look at the Situation in India’s Technology Workplaces

The IT industry in India has flourished thanks to the country’s high expectations and its speedy delivery. Cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune have become magnets for both new businesses and existing companies alike, all of which are competing to invent and supply products at a speed that is really amazing.

In this competitive setting, working long hours is frequently considered a badge of honor, and employees who oppose being asked to work longer hours may be branded as uncommitted or unambitious. There is a correlation between the culture of “always-on” employment and the increasing incidence of burnout, anxiety, and depression among those who work in the technology industry.

Stories of coding marathons, late-night deadlines, and vacations that were skipped have become so routine that they rarely elicit investigation. However, when a catastrophe causes us to look more closely, we are forced to examine these stories more closely.

Existing Legal Structures and Procedures

The rules governing employment in India contain regulations that are designed to safeguard the health and safety of workers. In 2020, the Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code establishes restrictions on the number of hours that can be worked in a single day, demands that businesses pay overtime wages, and requirements that employers do safety checks.

In addition, there are regulations that control paid leave, maternity benefits, and formal procedures for the resolution of grievances. In theory, these procedures create a structure that is intended to protect workers from being exploited or put in situations that could be hazardous. It is the responsibility of inspectors and courts to enforce these standards in many traditional businesses. This ensures that factories and offices comply with the requirements of the law.

Gaps in Protection for Those Working in Technology

They continue to have a limited presence in the technology sector despite the existence of these restrictions. There are a lot of information technology organizations that label their personnel as “skilled professionals,” which is a group that is exempt from certain hourly constraints.

In particular, start-ups place an emphasis on flexible and output-oriented arrangements, so avoiding the traditional concepts of a regular workday that runs from nine to five. As a result of this flexibility, the distinction between voluntary extra work and forced overtime may become more apparent.

Furthermore, legislation has a tendency to concentrate on physical safety concerns rather than mental health, which means that managers are under very little legal obligation to monitor stress levels or give psychological support.

Despite the existence of grievance channels, employees in technology companies frequently lack the leverage necessary to demand more equitable working conditions because there are no collective bargaining units or trade unions in technology companies.

How Leadership and the Culture of the Company Play a Role

When it comes to defining daily experiences, the leadership of a firm and the culture of the organization are more important than legal gaps. Lower-level employees may feel pressured to match the aggressive, results-at-all-costs mentality that are modeled by the company’s founders or top management.

They may be afraid of experiencing professional losses or social marginalization if they do not conform to these extremes. Colleagues related that in the instance of Nikhil, there was an environment in which disagreement was discouraged and taking leave was perceived as a lack of effort.

The presence of such cultures might stifle open dialogue about mental health, making it difficult for employees who are experiencing difficulties to seek assistance. Unintentionally creating conditions in which employees are driven to perilous breaking points can be the result of a culture that places a higher value on speed and productivity than it does on physical and mental well-being.

The Human Cost and the Urgent Desire for Empathy

On the other hand, there is a personal tale that lies behind every statistic about overtime hours or failed start-ups. The untimely passing of Nikhil Somwanshi serves to brutally emphasize that these are not merely theoretical concerns. It is a failure of the entire system when gifted individuals are pushed to despair.

This failure is caused by leaders who require performance that cannot be sustained, regulators who allow loopholes, and teammates who are reluctant to speak up. The development of new technologies is dependent on sharp minds, but it is impossible for those brains to flourish if they are continuously under attack.

It is not only a personal tragedy when an engineer, coder, or designer passes away, but it is also a blow to the creative potential of the business as a whole with their passing.

A Step Towards More Robust Protections

It is necessary to take action on several levels in order to address these difficulties. In order to widen the scope of occupational health rules to include mental well-being, regulators might take into consideration amending the professional exemption to put clear restrictions on the number of hours that those working in technology are allowed to work. Identifying high-risk workplaces could be facilitated with the implementation of mandatory reporting of work-related stress episodes and frequent surveys.

Companies are obligated to make a commitment to humane policies, which include the implementation of reasonable deadlines, mandatory mental health days, confidential counseling services, and a zero-tolerance policy on the misuse of management authority. It is possible for leaders to transform the norms from “always busy” to “always supported” through the implementation of training programs that focus on empathic management and stress recognition.

The Influence of the Voice of the People

Through the formation of peer networks and support groups, employees themselves have the ability to influence change. Informal associations, which are coalitions of engineers, designers, and analysts, can provide safe spaces for employees to exchange concerns, advise, and negotiation methods.

This is in contrast to conventional unions in the technology sector, which encounter challenges in the form of legal and cultural obstacles. Several new businesses have already declared their intention to improve their rules in response to public efforts that aim to raise awareness about fair work practices.

Tech workers can make it more difficult for firms to disregard overuse of the professional-exemption clause and demand accountability when catastrophes occur if they speak out collectively and compel those companies to take responsibility.

Constructing a Future That Is Sustainable

At this moment, the technological sector in India is at a crossroads. It has the option of continuing down a route that prioritizes quick growth and is willing to take human costs as collateral damage, or it may opt for a more balanced strategy that protects the well-being of the very people who are driving innovation.

When we talk about sustainable success, we’re referring to situations that foster innovation and hard effort without compromising physical health or personal dignity. It is imperative that the lessons learned from Nikhil’s passing are not forgotten; they should provide the impetus for concrete reforms that will guarantee that no other engineer will ever feel driven to pay the ultimate price for a culture that prioritizes output over life itself.

Unchecked work pressure and legal blind spots in India’s labor framework have been brought to light by the death of a young Ola Krutrim engineer, which has brought to light the potentially fatal implications of these factors.

While there are regulations in place to safeguard workers, there are gaps in coverage and inadequate enforcement, particularly in the area of mental health, which has left employees in the technology industry exposed. These legal shortcomings are compounded by the cultures of companies that celebrate being overworked and suppress dissent.

In order to pay tribute to Nikhil’s memory, stakeholders from the government, industry, and employee networks need to work together to improve protections, encourage healthier workplaces, and construct an industry in which innovation and empathy go hand in hand. Only then will India’s technological revolution be able to achieve its full potential without compromising its most valuable resource: the people who are using it.