Bengaluru CEO's take on women's reproductive choices stirs online conversation
Deepak Shenoy, founder and CEO of Capitalmind, set off a lively debate after posting, "Women should have kids when (and if) they want to... Men will mansplain but we don't have to go through labor, the nurturing, the social obligations or even the monthly cramps to have our opinions matter," calling out men who offer unsolicited advice about women's timelines for having children.
His post quickly gained traction with over 65,000 views.
Why this blew up:
Shenoy later clarified he believes no woman should feel pressured into parenthood before she's ready—mentally or physically.
Shenoy's comments came shortly after Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu's recent suggestion that young entrepreneurs should marry and have kids early as a "demographic duty" to society.
What people are saying:
The conversation has split opinions. Supporters stressed the importance of consent and following medical advice, while critics argued that raising children is a shared responsibility affecting both parents emotionally and financially.
Some even pointed to declining birth rates in Europe and the UK as a reason for encouraging early parenthood.
A Bengaluru doctor also noted that while fathers play a role after birth, only women experience pregnancy and childbirth firsthand.