Indian-American software engineer Vaniya Agrawal, known for disrupting Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event earlier this year, has again drawn attention—this time at the Build 2025 developer conference. Alongside ex-Microsoft employee Hossam Nasr, Agrawal interrupted a session led by AI security head Neta Haiby and responsible AI lead Sarah Bird, protesting Microsoft’s ties with the Israeli government. This marked the third straight day of pro-Palestine demonstrations at the conference.
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Vaniya Agrawal Protests Again at Microsoft Build 2025
The incident occurred just days after a previous disruption during CEO Satya Nadella’s keynote address, where an attendee shouted slogans like “Free Palestine” and demanded accountability.
Previous disruption at Microsoft’s 50th anniversary
Back in April, during Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event, Agrawal had stood up during a panel discussion involving Satya Nadella, Steve Ballmer, and Bill Gates, and shouted, “Shame on you all. You’re all hypocrites.” She accused the company of being complicit in the killing of Palestinians in Gaza using Microsoft’s technology and urged the tech giant to sever ties with Israel. Security escorted her out of the event.
Who is Vaniya Agrawal?
Vaniya Agrawal worked in Microsoft’s artificial intelligence division for over a year and a half. After her first protest, she publicly resigned, sending an email directly to CEO Satya Nadella and thousands of Microsoft employees. In her resignation, she explained her opposition to Microsoft’s involvement with Israeli government-linked projects and called for an ethical reassessment of the company’s operations.
Fired after protest, but still vocal
Agrawal was fired immediately after the protest without completing her notice period. Another protester, Ibthial Aboussad, was also terminated for similar conduct. Since then, Agrawal has been consistently sharing photos and updates of ongoing protests at various Microsoft Build 2025 venues via social media.
Growing scrutiny over big tech’s ethics
The protests come at a time when major tech companies, including Microsoft, are under increased scrutiny for their partnerships and ethical responsibilities. Durov’s Telegram and Apple have faced similar issues over compliance and platform misuse.
As Agrawal continues to push back against Microsoft’s corporate policies, her protests have sparked wider discussions on how global tech companies navigate geopolitical controversies and user accountability.
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