Tech-firm Zoho's CEO Sridhar Vembu is making headlines for his counter-advice to youths on getting married early and starting a family in their 20s rather than postponing it. Vembu's remark came on X after a video of entrepreneur Upasana Konidela addressing IITians on financial growth instead of family planning went viral. A debate has sparked on the social media platform since then.
It all started when superstar Ram Charan's wife shared a video of her visit to IIT Hyderabad and addressing students on how important it is to be financially independent rather than starting a family. She also emphasised to women how freezing their eggs can lead to better career growth. Countering her opinions, several users, including Sridhar Vembu, put their
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ZOHO CEO, Sridhar Vembu's Reply
"I advise young entrepreneurs I meet, both men and women, to marry and have kids in their 20s and not keep postponing it," Vembu reacted while sharing Upasana's post.
He also stated that his opinion might sound 'old-fashioned', but it will be the future ahead. He wrote, "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."
Netizens Reaction:
Netizens are divided on the opinions of both Vembu & Konidela. While several users are justifying that financial growth is important in the early career, many are also defending that youths should not postpone family planning & be dependent on science.
One user wrote, "Family isn't a distraction; it’s the anchor. Navigating a startup journey is much sustainable when you have that support system built early on."
While one user wrote, "Everyone keeps advising 20-year-olds to marry early, but no one talks about the actual tradeoff: Today’s youth aren’t 'afraid of commitment', they’re afraid of building a family on unstable salaries, zero work-life balance, and rent that eats 40% of income."
One user wrote, "While I respect your advice, I believe the choice of when (or if) to marry and have kids is deeply personal. Focus on career/personal goals in your 20s is equally valid."
