No kids on the block

Being childfree can be just as rewarding as having a big family. Those who've made the choice say there's no guilt, no regret. There are, however, bold new challenges. Take a look

- Noor Anand Chawla

Save your pity. There are no sad stories here. A growing number of Indians - married, attached and single- are choosing to not have children. They're not childless; they identify as child-free. They'll tell you why: Kids aren't an essential component of a happy life; not producing offspring puts an end to generational trauma and genetically transferred medical conditions; it allows for greater individual freedoms. Besides, it's better on the environment and on the pocket.

But child-free folks shouldn't have to tell you anything. It's as much of a personal choice as having kids. And yet, most of them go through life having to justify their decision to friends, family and the upstairs neighbour, and to prove, somehow, that they're not low-key psychopaths.

"The only problem with not wanting kids is having to tell people about it over and over," says Shannon Fernandes, 30, single and founder of travel company Vagabond Experiences. "It's better than having kids I didn't want in the first place, but in 2024, it's still a problem." Brunch spoke to Fernandes along with other child-free Indians, on what it means to plan a life without children, and the challenges along the way.

Better together

Corporate professional Madhusree Ghosh, 40, lives in Mumbai and has been married for 12 years to her college sweetheart, who did not wish to be named. Both worry about bringing a child into a world heading towards destruction. "Genocide takes place so often, the climate is degrading day by day, and there are so many other problems," Ghosh says.

"We worry that the planet will not be liveable by the time our children grow up." For their extended family, however, the bigger problem is that the couple is selfishly choosing their own happiness over that of a potential larger family.