Tech CEO Falls to Death After On-Stage Stunt Goes Wrong

A prominent U.S.-based technology executive has died in a freak accident.

Sanjay Shah, who was CEO of Illinois-based revenue management company Vistex, fell to his death after a cable holding up an iron cage snapped.

The incident took place at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, India on Thursday during a two-day long company-wide celebration for Vistex Asia’s 25th anniversary.

The Times of India reported that Shah was taken to hospital but eventually died from his injuries. He was just 56, leaving behind a wife and two daughters.

Also involved in the accident was Vistex president Raju Datla, who remains in the hospital in critical condition.

“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,” local police told the newspaper.

“At the time of the accident, music was being played and Shah and Raju were waving to their staff while being lowered,” they continued.  “A rolling machine was pulling the cage when the strings broke. The compartment collapsed at great speed.”

🚨US Tech Boss Plunges 15ft To His Death During Company’s Anniversary Party

Sanjay Shah, CEO of Vistex, fell to his death after a cable holding up the iron cage he was performing in snapped. pic.twitter.com/5WPBsxZDwZ

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 21, 2024

The company is now moving forward with legal action against the event’s organizers for negligence and a lack of appropriate safety measures.

Originally from Mumbai, Shah moved to the U.S. at age 17 where he earned his MBA from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania by the age of 21.

Who was #SanjayShah, #Indian CEO of US firm killed at #Hyderabad‘s #RamojiFilmCity?

Read more: https://t.co/47hVJNI17e pic.twitter.com/Si5l0JdCoi

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) January 20, 2024

After successful stints working at PricewaterhouseCoopers and General Motors, as well as at the German software giant SAP, Shah founded Vistex in 1999.

The company now operates from 20 offices worldwide and employs over 2,000 people with an annual turnover of around $300 million. Its client roster includes notable companies such as General Motors, Barilla, and Bayer.

Shah also founded the charitable Vistex Foundation, which operates across multiple continents.

The Foundation’s website describes its mission as “addressing the root causes of poverty by partnering with organizations whose programs provide education and health services to communities in need.”

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Ben Kew is a conservative journalist and commentator. Originally from the United Kingdom, he studied politics and modern languages at the University of Bristol. He started his career at Breitbart London aged 20, before moving to the U.S. to cover Congress and eventually becoming the outlet’s Latin America correspondent until the end of 2020. Since then he has worked in editorial roles at RedState and Human Events. He has also written for The Spectator, Spiked, The Epoch Times, The Critic and PanAm Post.

Ben Kew is a conservative journalist and commentator. Originally from the United Kingdom, he studied politics and modern languages at the University of Bristol. He started his career at Breitbart London aged 20, before moving to the U.S. to cover Congress and eventually becoming the outlet’s Latin America correspondent until the end of 2020. Since then he has worked in editorial roles at RedState and Human Events. He has also written for The Spectator, Spiked, The Epoch Times, The Critic and PanAm Post.