Who is Vaniya Agrawal, The Engineer Who Quit Microsoft Over Gaza War Protest?

Seattle: Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-American software engineer, has hit headlines and global conversations after she resigned from Microsoft in protest over the company's alleged involvement in military operations in Gaza. Her dramatic exit followed a viral confrontation during Microsoft’s 50th-anniversary celebration, where she publicly called out tech titans Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, and Steve Ballmer for what she described as complicity in violence against Palestinians.

The Protest That Sparked Global Attention

On March 4, at Microsoft’s 50th-anniversary event in Redmond, Washington, Agrawal interrupted a high-profile panel featuring Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former CEO Steve Ballmer, and current CEO Satya Nadella.

“50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you? Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood,” she shouted, referring to Microsoft's reported $133 million cloud and AI contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defence.

The moment was caught on camera and widely shared on social media, drawing both support and criticism. Another Microsoft employee joined her in protest. Both have since resigned.

In a company-wide email dated April 11, Agrawal explained her decision: “I cannot, in good conscience, be part of a company that participates in this violent injustice.”

Who is Vaniya Agrawal?

• Vaniya Agrawal is a Seattle-based software engineer with a background in artificial intelligence and cloud computing. According to her LinkedIn profile:
• She earned her degree in Software Engineering from Arizona State University.
• She began her tech journey at Amazon in 2019, where she worked for over three years and was promoted during her tenure.
• In 2023, she joined Microsoft, working in the company’s Artificial Intelligence division.
• Agrawal’s decision to resign wasn't just professional—it was deeply personal and political. Her resignation email directly accused Microsoft of having a role in what she described as “genocide in Gaza.”
• “Hi all, my name is Vaniya, and after 1.5 years as a software engineer at this company, I've decided to leave Microsoft,” she wrote.
• Before entering the tech industry, Agrawal explored a range of jobs that showcased her versatility:
• In 2012, she ran a small business on Etsy called Vannushka, where she sold handmade items.
• She worked as a pharmacy technician in 2014 and later as a tea consultant and medical assistant in Illinois.