.png){kind=logo}
A 35-year-old Microsoft software engineer was discovered dead in its Mountain View office on August 20, hours after apparently working late into the night. Authorities haven’t yet revealed any indication of anything suspicious. The medical examiner in Santa Clara County is investigating the cause of death.
Pratik Pandey, the engineer, was described as a ‘joyful soul with a radiant smile’ and a ‘hardworking professional’ by friends and colleagues. He leaves behind his young son and some family members in India. Microsoft has not made a public announcement about the incident. Family members are now trying to bring his body back to India.
Pratik Pandey, 35, was a software engineer with over a decade of professional experience. Born and educated in India, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, before moving to the United States for higher studies, completing a Master’s at San Jose State University.
He started working with Newgen Technologies in 2012 and then worked at John Deere in Pune. He also worked for Apple, Illumina, Cinequest, Hoverboard Technologies, and Walmart Labs for several years. In 2020, he worked for Microsoft, developing Fabric and Synapse products, with expertise in scalable big data solutions, micro frontend architecture, and cloud-based systems.
At Microsoft, Pandey was known for his technical proficiency in Java, TypeScript, React, Angular, RxJS, and cloud-based environments. He helped create scalable data-driven applications and was instrumental in the development of Synapse and Microsoft Fabric products. His teammates characterized him as innovative, collaborative, and excellence-driven.
Bloomberg reported that Microsoft waited more than 40 hours to inform the authorities. Police visited the Mountain View office on August 20 and verified that there was no evidence of foul play. The death is not being investigated as a crime. The cause of death is yet to be disclosed, awaiting the report of the Santa Clara County medical examiner.
Pandey’s death elicited an outpour of condolences on social media. Satish, a Santa Clara City Council candidate, called him ‘more than a colleague and a neighbor’ and spoke about his service to the community. Friends and former classmates, including a college roommate, posted heartfelt testimonials about his personality, work ethic, and goodness.
The deceased engineer was equally famous for his passion for sports, especially soccer. His untimely death has left his family, professional network, and the entire tech community in shock.
Also Read: Microsoft Cracks Down on Chinese Access to Cyber Early Warning System
Family members are organizing a ceremony in the Bay Area this week and making arrangements to send his body back to India for the last rites. The Indian Consulate has not made any further announcements regarding the incident.
