Sanjay Shah, CEO of leading Illinois-based revenue management firm Vistex, plunged to his death Thursday in a freak accident in India, multiple outlets reported.
The incident occurred during the company’s 25th anniversary celebration, according to the Daily Mail. The 56-year-old tech boss was a prominent figure in the tech industry, according to the outlet. He was reportedly performing onstage inside an iron cage with colleague Raju Datla, the company’s president since 2000, when the unexpected tragedy struck. During a high-spirited moment of the event with fireworks illuminating the stage, the cable holding the cage abruptly snapped, according to witnesses per the outlet.
This safety failure reportedly resulted in the cage plummeting 15 feet, crashing onto the concrete below with Shah and Datla inside. Emergency services were reportedly immediately called to the scene and both men were transported to the hospital. Shah succumbed to his injuries while Datla is reported to be in a serious condition, according to the outlet. (RELATED: ‘Harry Potter’ Publishing President Dies In Horrific Speedboat Accident: REPORT)
In a tragic incident, Vistex Asia’s R&D leader- CEO #SanjayShah died by falling from a height of twenty feet onto the ground during the company’s Silver Jubilee Celebrations.
The incident took place at Ramoji Film City in #Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/QEd9BVA5e6
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 19, 2024
A Vistex official described the planned event as an energetic beginning to the festivities. “Shah and Raju being lowered from the cage onto the dais was a planned event to kickstart the celebrations,” a company official told the Times of India.
“Suddenly, one of the two wires attached to the cage snapped. Both plunged more than 15 feet and landed on the concrete dais. This caused multiple injuries,” sub- inspector D Karunakar Reddy of Abdullapurmet police station told the newspaper.
Founded by Shah in 1999, Vistex has grown into a global powerhouse with over 2,000 employees across 20 offices worldwide, the Daily Mail noted. The firm boasts an impressive client roster, including giants like GM, Barilla and Bayer. In preparation for the silver jubilee celebration, staff members were accommodated at Ramoji Film City, anticipating a joyous two-day event.