Who is Vaniya Agrawal? Microsoft ex-employee who shamed Satya Nadella, Bill Gates at 50th anniversary event
Microsoft's 50th anniversary celebration in Washington on March 4 was interrupted by two employees who protested against the company’s alleged ties with the Israeli military.
Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-American software engineer, recently gained attention for publicly protesting at Microsoft's 50th anniversary event. A member of the company's AI division, Agrawal confronted CEO Satya Nadella and former CEOs Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer during a panel discussion, alleging that Microsoft's technologies were contributing to violence in Gaza.
Protest at 50th anniversary party over Israel contract
During Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event, while current CEO Satya Nadella and former CEOs Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates were on stage discussing the company, Agrawal stood up and began shouting in protest. "Shame on you all. You are all hypocrites," she said.
“50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating in their blood. Cut ties with Israel,” she added. Agrawal was then escorted out by security. According to videos circulating online, some employees in the audience booed her during the incident.
Vaniya Agrawal also referenced the group 'No Azure for Apartheid', which is reportedly behind organizing protests both inside and outside the Microsoft event venue. The group has been vocal in opposing Microsoft's alleged involvement with the Israeli military through its cloud services.
Following the protest, Agrawal announced her resignation from Microsoft, stating that she could not, in good conscience, continue working for a company she believes has contributed to genocide. Her final day at the company is scheduled for April 11.
"Hi all, My name is Vaniya, and after 1.5 years as a software engineer at this company, I’ve decided to leave Microsoft. My last day is next Friday, April 11. You may have seen me stand up earlier today to call out Satya during his speech at the Microsoft 50th anniversary. Here’s why I decided to leave the company, and why I spoke up today," Vaniya wrote in the email.
Who is Vaniya Agrawal?
Vaniya Agrawal, was a software engineer in Microsoft's artificial intelligence division. According to her LinkedIn profile, she joined Microsoft in September 2023. She is currently based in Seattle, Washington, US, and pursued her Software Engineering studies at Arizona State University.
Agrawal spent more than three years at Amazon, starting in September 2019 as a Software Development Engineer. She was later promoted during her tenure. In 2023, she transitioned to Microsoft, where she now works as a Software Engineer in the Artificial Intelligence division.
Before transitioning into the tech industry, Agrawal explored a variety of roles. In 2016, she worked as a medical assistant in Naperville, Illinois. A year earlier, in 2015, she served as a tea consultant, and in 2014, she briefly worked as a pharmacy technician. Earlier still, in 2012, she launched a small business on Etsy called Vannushka, where she sold handmade items for two years.
(With agencies input)
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