Anil Varshney, a 78-year-old Indian-American engineer, has filed a federal lawsuit against Parsons Corporation and US Defense Secretary Lloyd J Austin, alleging that he was wrongfully terminated from his long-standing position with the missile defense contractor's Alabama office, AL.com reported.According to the lawsuit, Varshney's distinguished engineering career was abruptly ended due to intentional acts by the defendants, solely based on his age and ethnicity as an Indian-American.

The lawsuit states that he was fired after a white colleague overheard him speaking Hindi on a video call with his dying brother-in-law in India.

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Alabama, claims that Varshney's video call with his brother-in-law took place in an empty cubicle at the Huntsville office, lasting only about two minutes.

However, Parsons accused him of committing a security violation by using the Facetime application at a classified worksite, leading to his termination.

Varshney maintains that there was no policy prohibiting such calls, and he was wrongfully targeted.Furthermore, the lawsuit asserts that this unjust termination had significant consequences, as it blacklisted him from future work with the United States Missile Defense Agency.

Varshney had been associated with the federal agency since 2002 and continued his employment at Parsons alongside it until 2022, achieving what the lawsuit describes as the American Dream.Parsons Corporation, represented by attorney Sharon L Miller, has responded by denying any wrongdoing and has requested the dismissal of the lawsuit.According to the lawsuit, Varshney obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Banaras Hindu University before immigrating to the United States in 1968.

A year later, his wife Shashi followed, and they eventually settled in Huntsville, where they both became American citizens.

Varshney pursued further education and earned a master's degree in industrial and systems engineering from Oklahoma State University.In the years that followed, Varshney's contributions were highly recognized and praised.

He received accolades such as being named "Contractor of the Year" in systems engineering and received a commendation from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for saving $5 million on the ground-based missile defense program.Varshney expressed his deep love and attachment to the United States, referring to it as his home for over five decades.

He stated that he has dedicated his life to strengthening the defense of the nation.

(With inputs from agencies)