Sridhar Vembu sparked a lengthy social media discussion on Wednesday after insisting that people should be getting married and having children in their 20s. The Zoho co-founder also stressed the need for young entrepreneurs to do their “demographic duty to society and their own ancestors” — admitting that the thought might sound “old-fashioned”.
“I advise young entrepreneurs I meet, both men and women, to marry and have kids in their 20s and not keep postponing it. 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,” he wrote on X.
The remarks came in response to another comment which noted that more men now wished to get married than women. Vembu also explained in follow-up comments that there was “plenty of opportunity to excel at any age” — including career success for people in their 30s.
“Life is not a race. There is plenty of opportunity to excel at any age and 30 is a new beginning for many people. I remember receiving this advice from my mother and I am glad to have recieved it. If I were to look at life as a race, I have failed compared to Mark Zuckerberg l, who is 20 years younger. Have I failed? Somehow I don’t wake up every morning thinking I am a failure. I have to thank my mother for this perspective on life,” he added.
‘Fix the economic crisis’
“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. It’s not a demographic crisis. It’s an economic one. Fix that, and hands will rise on their own,” countered one X user.
“TBH, if I choose to have kids in my 20s who is going to compensate for my career being on pause or even set back with maternity leaves in this cut-throat? Yes, I would love to have children above all. BUT that alone is not my sole purpose in life,” added another.
“Totally agree. I got married at 21, and together we built our careers step by step. We had our son in 2019, right around the COVID-19 phase, and he honestly helped us survive that whole nightmare. In 2024, our little daughter arrived and now she keeps our family active, happy, and grounded. Because we married early, we could focus on our growth, our family’s wellbeing, and contributing to the community. More than anything, it feels like I’ve found my best friend to walk with through this entire journey,” agreed a third.