35-year-old Microsoft Engineer Dies At Work

A 35-year-old Microsoft engineer, Pratik Pandey, tragically passed away at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus last month, prompting his family to caution against the dangers of employee overwork.

The Palo Alto Daily Post reported that Pandey was “found face-down” around 2 a.m. on Aug. 20. An initial medical report suggested he suffered a heart attack, according to community leader Satish Chandra, who noted that Pandey had been stressed despite having “no known health issues.”

Bloomberg added that police found “no signs of any suspicious activity or behavior,” and authorities confirmed the case was not being treated as criminal. A Microsoft spokeswoman declined to comment.

Pandey’s uncle, Manoj, described him as “overall, a very positive person” but admitted he was often working late nights over “a very extended period of time.” He urged tech companies to act on workplace stress, saying, “That will probably save a life.”

Pandey, who earned a master’s from San Jose State University, previously worked at Apple, Illumina, and Walmart Labs before joining Microsoft in 2020, where he contributed to its Fabric data analytics product.

“A joyful soul with a radiant smile, Pratik loved playing soccer, great son & friend,” read a memorial announcement for his Aug. 28 viewing service in California.

Reflecting on the family’s loss, Manoj said, “It’s a lot of pain for the family when a loved one passes away.”