'What if he says 'scr** you' at 18 and leave anyway': Nikhil Kamath on why he doesn't want to have kids

Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, recently shared some candid insights about fatherhood and legacy in his podcast, WTF. While revealing on why he doesn’t feel the need to have children to carry on his "legacy", the billionaire said that he doesn't want to invest two decades of his life in raising children, only to hope that they'll treat him well when he's older.

"This is also partly why I don't have kids," Kamath said. "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 leave anyway."

When quizzed about the concept of legacy, Kamath, aged 37, confessed that he does not subscribe to the idea. He believes that people generally overestimate their own importance in the grand scheme of life.

"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," he said.

Besides that, Kamath also said that he believes having children just to continue one’s legacy or to be remembered after death is an act of vanity. He questioned the importance of being remembered posthumously, instead advocating for a fulfilling life lived in the present.

"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 said.

Last year, he became the youngest Indian to join the 'The Giving Pledge' after he pledged a majority of his wealth to philanthropic causes, following the footsteps of Bengaluru-based entrepreneurs and fellow pledgers Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, and Wipro founder Azim Premji.

He further shed light on his decision to join the Giving Pledge and donate most of his wealth. While some might prioritize saving for future generations, Kamath finds inspiration in Bengaluru's philanthropic circle, he said He emphasizes the concept of mortality, stating, "There's no value in leaving money in banks."