Why Sridhar Vembu wants the young generation to marry and have kids early

Zoho Co-founder Sridhar Vembu has said young people should marry and have children in their 20s, calling it a 'demographic duty' to society and their ancestors

Zoho Co-founder Sridhar Vembu said that youngsters, especially entrepreneurs, should marry and have children in their 20s.

 

Responding to a post by entrepreneur Upasana Konidela, Vembu said he regularly advises young founders to not delay marriage or parenthood.

 

"I advise young entrepreneurs I meet, both men and women, to marry and have kids in their 20s and not keep postponing it," Vembu wrote on X. "I tell them they have to do their demographic duty to society and their own ancestors. I know these notions may sound quaint or old-fashioned but I am sure these ideas will resonate again."

 

Konidela, who recently spoke to students at IIT Hyderabad, said she observed a shift in attitudes toward marriage. “When I asked, ‘How many of you want to get married?' more men raised their hands than women!” she wrote. “The women seemed far more career-focused! This is the new, progressive India.”   

How X users reacted

 

Vembu’s post sparked strong reactions, with many arguing that young people today face economic and workplace pressures that make early marriage difficult.

 

A user wrote that unstable jobs, long working hours, soaring rents, and high living costs are the biggest barriers. “It's not a demographic crisis. It's an economic one. Fix that, and hands will rise on their own,” they said.

 

Vembu disagreed, replying, “But even people who can afford to are not marrying and having kids. That is cultural.”

 

Another user highlighted the career costs women face in a “cut-throat” job market, saying maternity breaks can derail growth. “Yes, I would love to have children above all. BUT that alone is not my sole purpose in life,” she said.

 

Vembu responded, “Life is not a race. There is plenty of opportunity to excel at any age, and 30 is a new beginning for many people... If I were to look at life as a race, I have failed compared to Mark Zuckerberg... Have I failed? Somehow I don't wake up every morning thinking I am a failure.”