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In July 2024, Anna Sebastian Perayil began her career at Ernst & Young’s Pune office, carrying the hopes of her family and the promise of a bright future. Four months later, she was dead. Her mother’s letter to the company chairman revealed the harsh reality behind Anna’s death: sleepless nights, relentless assignments, anxiety, and a workplace that did not send a single representative to her funeral. This tragedy exposed a painful truth that many in India have been avoiding

Every year, as India celebrates Diwali with dazzling fireworks, a harsh reality remains hidden in the shadows of Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. This small town, responsible for nearly 90 percent of India’s fireworks production, is home to hundreds of thousands of workers who face dangerous conditions, low wages, and systemic discrimination. Among them, women bear the brunt of exploitation, performing the most hazardous tasks for wages far below their male counterparts. The story of Si