Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu Sparks Debate on Early Marriage and Career-Family Balance for Young Professionals

Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu has sparked controversy by suggesting young people should marry and have children in their twenties as a "demographic duty to society and ancestors." In a recent post on X, Vembu stated that he regularly advises young entrepreneurs of both genders not to postpone marriage and family formation.

"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," Vembu wrote.

His comments came in response to entrepreneur Upasana Konidela, who shared her observations from an interaction with IIT Hyderabad students. Konidela, who serves as vice-chairperson of Apollo Hospitals CSR and is married to actor Ram Charan, noted that more men than women raised their hands when asked about marriage intentions.

"The women seemed far more career-focused! This is the new, progressive India. Set your vision. Define your goals. Own your role. And watch yourself become unstoppable," she observed.

Vembu's perspective triggered numerous counterarguments online. One user suggested the real obstacle to early marriage isn't cultural hesitation but economic challenges, citing unstable incomes, demanding work hours, high living costs, and expensive rent that young adults face today.

"It's not a demographic crisis. It's an economic one. Fix that, and hands will rise on their own," the user argued, to which Vembu responded, "But even people who can afford to are not marrying and having kids. That is cultural."

Another commenter pointed out that having children in her twenties would jeopardize her career trajectory in today's competitive job market, where maternity breaks often impede professional advancement. "Yes, I would love to have children above all. BUT that alone is not my sole purpose in life," she stated.

In response, Vembu philosophized, "Life is not a race. There is plenty of opportunity to excel at any age, and 30 is a new beginning for many people." He credited his mother for this perspective, adding, "If I were to look at life as a race, I have failed compared to Mark Zuckerberg who is 20 years younger. Have I failed? Somehow I don't wake up every morning thinking I am a failure."

When someone suggested that urging career-focused individuals in their twenties to prioritize family could derail their professional aspirations, citing examples of people who started families early only to end up "divorced, broke, and watching their less-encumbered peers lap them in wealth and impact," Vembu countered that there is "plenty of time" to rebuild after setbacks.

"Entrepreneurs who are older are more likely to succeed. There is plenty of time after 28," he noted, referencing Larry Ellison who began his entrepreneurial journey at 31.

Sridhar Vembu, now 57, married Pramila Srinivasan in the late 1990s, and they have a son together. The family previously lived in the United States, but in 2020, Srinivasan filed for divorce. According to Forbes, she alleged that Vembu abandoned her and their son after relocating to rural Tamil Nadu in early 2020, later communicating his desire to end the marriage via WhatsApp.

Srinivasan also claimed that Vembu had quietly transferred key Zoho assets, including intellectual property and majority shareholding, to his sister and relatives in India without her knowledge. She argued this was done to limit her and their son's rightful share under California's community-property laws.