Microsoft’s 50th-anniversary event on March 4, 2025, was overshadowed by pro-Palestinian protests, including a confrontation led by Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-American software engineer in the company’s AI division, reported Hindustan Times, today, Monday April 7.
The interruption occurred during a panel featuring former CEOs Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates alongside current CEO Satya Nadella.
Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian American engineer who protested
Agrawal stood up during the event, condemning the company's actions. “Shame on you all. You’re all hypocrites,” she shouted as another woman began escorting her out of the venue.
Agrawal continued her protest, shouting, “Fifty thousand Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood. Cut ties with Israel.”
Gates, Nadella, and Ballmer remained silent during the outburst.
Agrawal resigned soon after
Following her protest, Agrawal sent a company-wide email announcing her resignation from Microsoft, with her last day set for April 11, 2025.
In her email, she referenced her earlier actions, stating, “You may have seen me stand up earlier today to call out Satya during his speech at the Microsoft 50th anniversary.”
She explained that she could no longer remain with a company she believes enables genocide by helping Israel.
Citing a recent Associated Press report, Agrawal highlighted Microsoft’s $133 million contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, accusing the company of using Microsoft Azure, and AI technologies to support Israel’s occupation, mass surveillance, and targeting in Gaza.
The footage of Agrawal’s interruption quickly spread online, drawing significant attention. According to The Verge, her protest was one of two pro-Palestinian demonstrations that disrupted Microsoft’s anniversary celebrations.
Earlier in the event, another employee, Ibtihal Aboussad, interrupted a speech by Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, to voice similar concerns about the company’s ties to Israel.