"Thought It Was Cool": Zerodha's Nikhil Kamath Reveals He Wanted To Adopt A Child

In a recent episode of his podcast WTF, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath revealed that even though he doesn't want to have children, there was a time when he considered adopting a child and even explored the possibility seriously. Notably, in a previous episode, Mr Kamath mentioned that the traditional idea of having children to carry on a legacy doesn't resonate with him. He said that he prioritises current pursuits and doesn't feel the need to dedicate a significant portion of his life to raising a child. 

Now, in the new episode, the 37-year-old entrepreneur said that there was a time when he wanted to adopt a child and even explored whether he could or not. He even explained why he preferred adoption, but again added that he does not feel strongly about having children. 

"At one point in life, I had a phase where I wanted to adopt a child. And I actually tried... I researched it." However, he added that it was during his research he found that the current regulations, it was impossible for a single Indian man to adopt a child. Explaining why he preferred adoption, he said that he felt like it would have been "cool" to do so. "Just like that. I thought it was cool at that time. See, most of the things we do (are) because we think they are cool, right?" he said. 

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Further, the 37-year-old shared that he does not feel he needs to have children to continue his "legacy" and he does not want to spend two decades of life "babysitting". "This is also partly why I don't have kids. I'm going to ruin 18-20 years of my life babysitting this child and then if luck serves me right, the reverse will happen at some point. What if he says 'scr** you' at 18 and leaves anyway," Mr Kamath said. 

When asked about leaving behind his legacy, Mr Kamath shared he does not believe in it. "I think we all feel that we are more important than we actually are... you are born and you die like every other animal on the planet and then you are gone and nobody remembers anybody."

"What's the point in being remembered (after death)? I feel like you should come, you should live well, you should be nice to the people you meet in your life," he added.