“I’m a 20-year-old Indian Millennial, pursuing a Master’s degree in Microbiology.

What if I tell you, it’s not just the Millennials but rather the Parents who must also be empowered?

Dear Indian Millennials, every part of life provides greater lessons. When I started telling this right from when I was 16 and published a book at 18, the past generation kept saying I’m thinking beyond.

So what?!

Let’s get to what society actually says: You’re a girl hence it’s right if you get married as soon, all you need is a jewellery and then you are ready, give up your ambitions and dreams or else your family will be at a stake, share everything with us (to the so claimed as members in the family).

I’m from a world that always honours if a girl could cook well, and take care of the household with a note to give up her dreams for the good of the family. All I had was a WHY to all these. I was asking myself how I was going to fare then. Then I was told to dream of getting a life partner who’ll let me get my formal education post-marriage. If so, when I’ll get formally educated (in the view of society–rather it’s completely fine if you love self-education or both self and formal), and achieve financial freedom to explore my desires?

This will, in turn, lead me to sacrifice things all my life, ending up calling my life partner, “The Destroyer of a woman’s dream”.

Then this thought changed my life. What if I dream of achieving my goal and supporting myself with a lifestyle I desire? I have not seen people calling me good at learning to manage both household and career. Yet I did not give up. I was not told that I’m talented nor started my journey with so much of people encouraging me. All people did was shout at why am I an explorative and working so much. It was very hard to overcome these.

This is how most Indian Millennials are brought up and not let to explore. Consequently, this makes them tell their kids casually that exploring isn’t good.

Let every millennial establish a lifestyle they desire. I self-encouraged myself and reached a place to be independent mentally and emotionally.”