A young engineer working at Ola’s AI arm, Krutrim, died by suicide on May 8, allegedly due to extreme work pressure. The incident came to light after a Reddit post detailing the circumstances went viral, raising serious questions about the work culture at the company.
The employee, identified as Nikhil Somwanshi, was a recent graduate from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and had joined Krutrim just ten months ago. According to a former Ola Krutrim employee, who spoke to financialexpress.com on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Somwanshi had stopped going to the office two weeks before his death, citing mental health concerns.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of one of our most talented young employees, Nikhil…Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Ola Krutrim spokesperson told FinancialExpress.com.
The spokesperson further confirmed that Nikhil was on personal leave at the time of the incident. “On April 17, he shared that he was feeling better but would benefit from additional rest, and his leave was extended,” he added.
The viral Reddit post further painted a grim picture of the work culture at Krutrim. It claimed that Nikhil was part of a three-member team managing a critical project. After the other two members exited, the entire workload fell on him. The post also named a senior manager, Rajkiran, who allegedly berated employees, especially freshers. Rajkiran also allegedly verbally abused employees. Based in the US, he reportedly attended calls remotely, leaving the Bengaluru team to bear the operational load.
Ex-employee corroborated the allegations made in the post, “Rajkiran has no people management skills. He shouts at employees and disappears. The verbal abuse in meetings was traumatic.”
The former employee, who has also worked with Somwanshi in the past, told financialexpress.com that the current employees have been asked to not speak with the media or police. “Post his death, [another senior manager at Krutrim] even told others during a session that no one will talk about the incident and if approached by someone, they should redirect them to Ola’s legal team,” the ex-employee added.
Many employees are angry, alleging a lack of accountability. “Even after this tragedy, there has been no change. No reflection. Just silence. Authorities are trying to suppress the news,” Reddit post read.
Ola said, “As a company, we are heartbroken by this loss. Nikhil was a valued team member, and his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew and worked with him.”
They went on to ascertain that, “we are extending our full support to Nikhil’s family and our employees during this time of grief. We are also in contact with the relevant authorities and will continue to offer our assistance as needed.”
DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or in distress contact the Vandrevala Foundation’s helpline (+91-9999666555) which is available in 11 languages including English and can be accessed via telephone or WhatsApp 24×7. You can also contact Fortis Hospital’s National Helpline number 91-8376804102 which is available 24×7. You can also contact the Government Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline ‘KIRAN’ at 18005990019 which is available 24×7.