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Sanjay Shah, the CEO of Vistex Asia, a US-based software firm died from a freak accident during the company’s 25th-anniversary celebrations on Friday, January 19. The event was held at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, India.
Trigger Warning: This article contains a sensitive video. Viewer's discretion is advised.
Shah, 56, along with the company’s president Vishwanath Raj Datla, were elevated on a “paalki” — a wooden stage about 20 feet above the ground using a crane. The stage had a two-layered 6 mm iron wire holding it from both sides. The stage was supposed to be lowered at a slow pace with the progression of the performance. However, to everyone's dismay, one side of the wire snapped, causing the stage to fall off immediately.
Both Shah and Datla were severely injured and were rushed to Maxi Cure Hospital initially. They were later taken to Yashoda Hospital in Malakpet. Unfortunately, Shah passed away during the treatment Friday morning, while Datla remains in critical condition according to the police.
As per Newstrap, a two-day event was organized to celebrate the silver jubilee of Vistex Asia. Sanjay Shah, who is currently based in Illinois, had arranged for accommodations at Ramoji Film City for his employees for the grand event on January 18 and 19. 700 people were attending the ceremony on Thursday watching the aerial show which led to Shah’s death.
Internet shocked as Vistex CEO Sanjay Shah dies after falling off from an elevated stage
Shah originally hails from Mumbai, India. He pursued MBA and earned the degree from Lehigh University in 1989, at the age of 21. Before founding Vistex, he worked at General Motors and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Shah then moved to Germany and worked at the software company SAP. After leaving SAP, he built his own company, Vistex.
Sanjay Shah's tragic demise had left the internet dumbfounded. Video footage of the accident was shared online, prompting several critical reactions from netizens. Many criticized the risky way of celebration adopted by the company. They said Vistex could have instead invested the money on rewarding its employees rather than spending it on arranging for such a death machine.
Even though the accident was caused due to the snapped wire, authorities have launched an investigation into the faulty wooden stage and the other equipment that was being used.
Vistex Asia was founded in 1999
Sanjay Shah founded Vistex Asia, a tech firm dealing with revenue management services and solutions in 1999. He also established the Vistex Institute for Executive Education at Lehigh University and the Vistex Foundation.
Vishwanath Raj Datla joined the company in 2000 and since then he has played an essential role in shaping the firm and expanding its solution delivery capabilities. Vistex has 20 office branches globally with more than 20,000 employees working there. It serves leading brands such as Walmart, Apple, Barilla, Bayer, and GM.
