‘You are not defined by men…’: Ditching tradition, Anupam Mittal names daughter with a nod to Saraswati and independence

In most Indian families, a child, especially a daughter, follows a silent text. The first name of the father becomes the middle name, and in the end, the husband’s name may replace it. It is an inherited tradition that is so deeply guaranteed that a few of them stop skeptical about it. But ANUPAM MITTAL, founder of Group Group and Shadi.com, did so exactly and rewrite the script for his daughter.

With the highlight of the tradition, MITTAL shared a personal observation on LinkedIn about naming his daughter. He wrote: “In a world where women are still presented as a daughter of a person, the wife of someone, the mother of someone … we just wanted to start herself.”

“When my daughter, Alyssa, we wanted to” decide “her middle name. Traditionally in most parts of India, this is not how this is done. It is the first name of the father to be passed automatically. If not, it is later replaced with the name of her husband. It is a very calm tradition.

Instead of following the agreement, they chose to name Alyssa Anantara. “Anantara” – which means that it has no limits in Ananta, another name for Sarasawi, the goddess of wisdom, “he said.

“It is a small thing.

For us, it was a way to say

You do not have to go foot in the legacy of anyone.
– You have not been defined by men in your life.
You are free to write your own story. “

With the assertion that this was not a big statement, Mittal wrote, “But for us, I felt as if it were the right place to start. A quiet way to say – we believe in equality.

Metal is welcomed by many Internet users.

“Parents like you have made gold standards for girls’ care – not by imposing societal expectations, but by enabling them to formulate their own paths. It is really inspiring to see a father who encourages his child to grow automatically, and adopts her unique journey rather than compatible with external pressures.

Another commented, “This is a wonderful perspective Anopam Mittal in India, we still write the middle name everywhere and start teaching. Then the inheritance continues forever, and all identities are linked to these first letters. The Indian constitution does not make it useful to add the father’s name only.

He wrote third: “What a choice of my heart and meaningful. It is inspiring to see the traditions that are redefined with this intent and purpose.”