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‘This is actually sad’: Indian founder in US faces backlash after praising intern for working past midnight

An Indian founder in the US was criticised after praising an intern who worked past midnight.

Published on: Nov 15, 2025, 16:19:32 IST
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An Indian origin founder in the United States sparked online criticism after she praised an intern for working late into the night. The remarks, shared on X by Aiswarya Sankar, quickly drew reactions from users who felt the post glorified an unhealthy work culture.

An Indian founder in the US faced backlash for celebrating an intern’s late night work. (X/@Aiswarya_Sankar)
An Indian founder in the US faced backlash for celebrating an intern’s late night work. (X/@Aiswarya_Sankar)

The post and the reaction

Sankar posted a photograph of the intern along with the caption, “Be like our new intern refusing to leave past midnight to finish testing a customer ask that got dumped on him at 9 pm today. 9 9 6 is actually 9 12 6 for this guy.”

Check out the post here:

The post appeared to applaud the intern for staying far beyond regular hours. However, many users interpreted it as an example of an exploitative work environment.

Comments poured in, describing the situation as troubling. One user commented, “This is actually sad,” while another remarked, “Please give him some rewards.” A third response read, “Free my guy,” followed soon after by someone saying, “Such a miserable life. Sorry dude.”

Another user criticised the tone, stating, “That’s not something to flex,” and a further remark added, “Getting no life outside work is kinda sad.”

Founder responds to backlash

Responding to the criticism, Sankar attempted to clarify the situation and insisted that she was not enforcing long hours. She wrote, “To everyone complaining, I asked him to go home but he was operating on his own work ethic.”

Take a look here at the post:

About the company

Aiswarya Sankar leads Entelligence.AI, a San Francisco based firm that builds artificial engineering intelligence tools designed to enhance engineering workflows and productivity.

HT.com has reached out to Sankar for her comments. This copy will be updated once a response is received.

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)

  • Mahipal Singh Chouhan
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Mahipal Singh Chouhan

    Mahipal Singh Chouhan is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital, with nearly five years of experience in digital journalism and content production. He primarily covers offbeat, trending and human-interest stories, with a focus on emerging social media trends, online conversations and real-world incidents that capture public attention. At Hindustan Times, Mahipal works on identifying and developing fast-moving digital stories, adding context and journalistic perspective to viral moments while maintaining accuracy, clarity and readability for online audiences. Before joining Hindustan Times Digital, he was associated with DNA India, where he gained experience in newsroom workflows and digital storytelling. He holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Delhi. Beyond journalism, he has a keen interest in history and sports and enjoys expanding his general knowledge.Read More

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