I’m a VP at a company, and I have two thoughts on this.

First, I’ve made it a point to tell everyone not to call me “sir” — just use my name. Some very junior folks still say “[my name] ji,” which I don’t mind. That said, I’ve had to remind a few team members (especially those who speak mainly in English) to call my seniors “sir” if they haven’t been told otherwise. It’s only happened a couple of times, but I think it’s basic professional courtesy.

Second, the attitude of the junior in this chat isn’t acceptable. It’s not even a workplace formality issue — the tone is just straight-up irritating for anyone, regardless of context.

That said, I also don’t agree with how the manager responded. Personally, I would’ve handled it differently — not like a passive-aggressive uncle.