A workplace dispute involving Tech Mahindra employee Bhavana Sharma has drawn attention after a video of her protest outside the company’s Hyderabad campus was shared on Instagram by MO. Standing outside the campus and speaking about her experience, Sharma said she was fighting for more than her job. She alleged that she had faced workplace harassment and unfair treatment, particularly after she took time off when her daughter became seriously unwell.The company, however, has disputed her account and maintained that Sharma’s employment was not terminated. According to Tech Mahindra, she continues to be an active associate and was formally informed about the continuation of her employment on July 23, 2026. The conflicting accounts have turned the incident into a wider conversation about employee rights, workplace pressure, and how companies handle concerns raised by their staff.
“My daughter was sick and you were forcing me’
Sharma said the dispute began on July 17, when her daughter fell ill and her school asked her to take the child home. She said she informed her team leader about the situation but was initially asked to return to work. Speaking during the protest, Sharma described how difficult the situation had been for her as a mother. “My daughter was sick and you were forcing me. My daughter was on my lap. People were taking blood samples out of her,” she said.According to Sharma, communication between her and the company continued over the following days. She said she received an email on July 20 and replied to it, followed by another email on July 21, which she also answered. Her argument was that if the company believed she had taken excessive leave, she should have been warned rather than removed from her job. “If I was taking too much leave, you should have just given me a warning letter. You could not terminate me,” she said. Sharma was later removed by police while protesting outside the Tech Mahindra campus in Hyderabad.
She says the bigger issue is workplace harassment
While the employment dispute brought her to the campus, Sharma said termination was not her only concern. “I’m okay if they’ve terminated me. My problem is with the harassment that has to be reduced in the company,” she said. She alleged that employees were closely monitored during breaks and claimed that managers publicly reprimanded staff. She also raised concerns about how much freedom employees had during basic personal breaks.“In this toxic environment, they wouldn’t even let us go to the washroom. How many minutes are you going to take to pee? How long are you going to be gone?” she said. These allegations, if established, raise broader questions about the kind of workplace culture employees experience behind the formal policies of a company. For workers, issues such as break monitoring, managerial behaviour, and the ability to raise concerns without fear can have a direct impact on their daily working lives. However, Sharma’s allegations remain allegations and should not be treated as established facts without the outcome of an appropriate inquiry.
Tech Mahindra says she was not terminated
Tech Mahindra has presented a different version of events. The company said Sharma’s employment remained active and that her continued employment had been formally communicated to her on July 23, 2026. It maintained that the separation had not been implemented and that she continues to remain an active associate of the company. The company also rejected what it described as inaccurate allegations and accused Sharma of using social media to put pressure on the organisation.Tech Mahindra said it would continue addressing the matter through appropriate internal and external processes. It also maintained that the company is committed to providing a safe and inclusive workplace and handling employee concerns responsibly, fairly, and according to due process. The difference between Sharma’s account and the company’s statement is central to the dispute. While Sharma believes she was treated unfairly and wants action on what she describes as harassment, the company says her employment remains active and that the matter is being handled through the appropriate processes.
‘I would leave my life, but I will not leave this case”
During the protest, Sharma made an emotional statement about how strongly she feels about the issue. “I would leave my life, but I will not leave this case,” she said. She also called for an independent governing or private body that could monitor what she described as unlawful terminations and misuse of power. Her demand reflects a larger concern often raised by employees: what happens when a worker believes that internal systems have failed to address a workplace complaint?For now, the dispute remains unresolved. Sharma has publicly raised allegations of harassment and unfair treatment, while Tech Mahindra has denied her claims and said she remains employed. What happens next will depend on the company’s internal process, any external proceedings, and whether the two sides are able to resolve their differences. Beyond the individual dispute, the episode has opened a difficult but important conversation about workplace culture and whether employees feel safe enough to speak when they believe something is wrong. A job, after all, is not only about a salary. It is also about dignity, fairness, and the right to be heard.
