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Indian-origin executive Deepa Purushothaman, who became a partner at Deloitte by age 34, has publicly shared how years of working 100-hour weeks led to a severe health collapse and ultimately forced her to leave the firm she helped climb at. She joined Deloitte in 1999 after her graduate studies, planning a short stint in consulting before entering policy. Instead, she rose through the ranks and reached partnership at an age many only dream of—while putting her physical and mental health on the back burner.
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The Hidden Cost of Out-working Everybody
In her description of her peak days at Deloitte, Purushothaman said she would leave home at 4 a.m. for client sites and return around 1 a.m.—a routine she maintained for months. The strain showed up as headaches, rashes, repeated infections, adrenal fatigue and, ultimately, late-stage Lyme disease and neuropathy. She spent eight months bedridden in 2019 after leaving the firm in 2020. Her story calls into question the idea of elite professional success when it comes at the cost of one’s health.
Redefining Success and Work
After leaving Deloitte, she authored a book and launched a women’s leadership community, but the pace remained intense—until her body told her to stop. Now she leads a think-tank focused on rethinking work models and emphasises the importance of setting boundaries, redefining achievement, and putting health first. Her message resonates in an era when overwork is glamorised and burnout increasingly hidden. She reminds professionals: true success must include being well.
