Outlook Business Desk
Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian- American software engineer at Microsoft, holds a degree in Computer Science from a reputed institution. She joined the company in 2023, as a software engineer in the artificial intelligence division.
During Microsoft's 50th anniversary event this April, Vaniya interrupted a session featuring Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Satya Nadella, accusing the company of its participation in genocide of Gaza alleged them for human rights violations due to its contracts with the Israeli military.
Agrawal was driven by reports that Microsoft company AI technology division was being used by the Israeli military for their operations in Gaza causing civilian harm, that pushes her to speak out publicly.
The activist group 'No Azure for Apartheid' backed Agrawal's protest, aligning with her call for Microsoft to sever ties with the Israeli army and accusing them for celebrating on the blood of Palestinians.
Microsoft emphasized that they support employee expression, but it must be executed through an appropriate internal channel without disturbing the business activities.
More tech employees like Agrawal are speaking now, her protest is part of a larger trend where tech employes are raising concerns about how their companies are operated by the government and being used for their motives.