Ola Krutrim Engineer Dies By Suicide Amid Work Pressure Allegations

ola Krutrim has confirmed that one of its data science engineers died by suicide on May 8.

The company said the employee was on personal leave and had requested time off in early April, which was approved. Ola Krutrim also mentioned that they are supporting the family and working with the authorities.

The incident gained attention after a Reddit post describing the situation went viral, raising concerns about the company’s work culture.

The employee, Nikhil Somwanshi was a recent graduate from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and had joined Krutrim just 10 months ago. 

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A former Ola Krutrim employee, speaking anonymously to Financial Express, said that Nikhil had stopped coming to the office two weeks before his death due to mental health issues.

“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.

The spokesperson confirmed that Nikhil was on personal leave at the time. “On April 17, he said he was feeling better but needed more rest, so his leave was extended,” the spokesperson added.

The viral Reddit post shared a troubling view of the work culture at Krutrim. It claimed that Nikhil was part of a three-member team working on an important project. When the other two team members left, all the pressure fell on him. 

The post also accused a senior manager named Rajkiran of mistreating employees, especially freshers, with harsh words and verbal abuse. Rajkiran, who is based in the US, reportedly joined meetings remotely, while the team in Bengaluru handled the daily workload.

The tragic news of the employee’s death comes at a time when Ola Krutrim is facing a leadership crisis. Over the past year, several senior leaders have left the company, including business and strategy head Ravi Jain, applied AI director Ashish Kumar, and Ola veteran Priyanka Nayak.

Recently, reports said Ola Krutrim is increasing hiring for its AI labs in Bengaluru, the US, and Singapore to fill these leadership gaps.

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