E-Paper
Bengaluru man shares powerful post on parenting: 'Raising daughters in India is a revolution'
A Bengaluru man’s heartfelt LinkedIn post on raising daughters in India went viral.
A Bengaluru-based father's moving post about raising his daughters in India has grabbed the internet's attention. Ajit Sivaram, co-founder of U&I, shared a powerful message on LinkedIn, describing parenthood as a revolutionary act—especially when it comes to raising daughters in a traditionally patriarchal society.
(Also read: Daughter congratulates father for his bar council license, gets classic Indian dad response: 'He is a cutie')
Titled "Raising daughters in India is a revolution disguised as parenthood", the post explores how fatherhood has been his most transformative leadership journey—surpassing even the lessons of an MBA.
“The world wasn’t built for them”
"Every morning, I watch my girls put on their uniforms, pack their dreams, and step into a world that wasn't built for them," Sivaram wrote. "A world that will question their ambition, police their laughter, and measure their worth by their silence."
His words resonated with many, especially when he described the subtle biases his daughters face daily—from being ignored on playgrounds to having their ideas dismissed until a boy repeats them. “Leadership isn't learned in boardrooms. It's learned at dinner tables,” he added, sharing the challenging conversations he has with his daughters about gender expectations.
From home to boardroom: Lessons in empathy
Sivaram reflected on how raising his daughters has altered the way he views workplace dynamics. "When I visit clients' offices, I now see the women who are interrupted in meetings... the invisible labour that keeps teams functioning but receives no credit." He emphasised that the corporate world doesn’t just need more leadership programmes for women, but more male allies—men who have seen the world through their daughters’ eyes.
(Also read: Delhi woman writes heartfelt LinkedIn post to help her father find a new job: 'Hire my dad')
"My leadership style isn't built on authority. It's built on empathy,” he continued. “Because every night, I go home to two girls who ask me about my day. And in their eyes, I see the question they're really asking: ‘Did you make the world a little better for us today?’”
Check out the post here:
Internet reacts
The post has received over 8,000 likes and hundreds of comments, with many users praising his perspective and emotional honesty. Several called it “the most powerful thing I've read in a while,” while others applauded his empathy, saying, “This is what real leadership looks like.” One commenter remarked, “You’ve captured what many fathers feel but rarely articulate.” Another wrote, “This gives me hope for future generations.” A user added, “As a mother of two girls, I couldn’t agree more.”
