Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has once again sparked a debate by sharing a video clip of former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's advice to a PhD student on not delaying marriage and children, linking it to concerns about declining birth rates.
Vembu also emphasized that societies must orient their culture and economies so that ambitious women feel encouraged to have children alongside their careers. He posted a clip on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in which Yew can be seen advising a female PhD student to prioritize family life over academic delays. Lee told her: 'Please don't waste time. It's more important and more satisfying than your PhD. But good luck to you. I hope you get your PhD and your boyfriend.'
Vembu explained that he studied Lee's life and continues to respect his views. He also noted that smart and ambitious women can pursue careers while also choosing to have children.
'I studied the life and work of Lee Kuan Yew, the Founder-Prime Minister of Singapore intensely during my early 20s. Immense respect for him. In this video clip, he advises a young woman pursuing a PhD not to neglect marriage and kids. I recently gave very similar advice. Elon Musk would say much the same thing. We have to orient our culture, society and the economy so that smart ambitious women do want to have children (and sadly, this needs to be said today: men cannot have children). If we fail at this, humanity will lose,' wrote Vembu.
Concerns about declining birth rates
The remarks made by Vembu are tied to a broader global concern of declining fertility rates. He echoed sentiments often expressed by business leaders like Elon Musk, who warn that declining birth rates could pose long-term challenges for economies and societies.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently issued a blunt warning to European leaders and people following a report predicting a massive population collapse across the region. Responding to data revealed in a report by The Guardian, which indicated that the European Union's population could shrink by 53 million people by the end of the century, Musk posted a four-word reminder on social media: 'Children are the future.'
The warning comes on the heels of new projections released by Eurostat on April 16, 2026. The data paints a picture of Europe's demographic future, forecasting that the current population of 451.8 million will plummet to roughly 398.9 million by the year 2100.
