The Singhs’ large, simple but comfortable house in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, about 50 kilometres from the Indian capital, is home to four generations and ten people. The eldest, the grandfather, Malkhan, 79, moves slowly with a cane; the youngest, 1 year old, does not yet walk.
Following a very ancient tradition in India, that of joint familiesthe patriarch has chosen to live with his wife, Rajbala, under the same roof as his two sons and their families. He is not financially destitute – he receives a pension as a former government telecom engineer, a rare privilege in the country – but not for a moment can he imagine himself without his children, he assures. “I lived, supported my parents and now my sons are taking care of me.” His grandson, AJ Nain, 24, has no problem with continuing “this family culture”which he appreciates « community spirit ».
Undivided or extended families have long been the dominant model, based on a strong patriarchal structure – only boys remain in the family – and governed by a tacit intergenerational contract. The son will come to take care of his elderly parents and thus compensate for the absence of a pension system and social assistance.
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However, for several decades, this model has been weakened by a dual migratory movement, internal and external. “Younger generations are migrating to cities in search of better education and job opportunities. Urbanization is a threat to joint families »observes Poonam Muttreja, director of the NGO Population Foundation of India. The shift to nuclear families in urban areas often leaves elderly parents in rural areas, weakening traditional support systems.
Suitable infrastructure is rare and expensive
In the South, especially in Kerala, it is the rise of migration to the Gulf countries that is breaking up families. According to the last census, dating from 2011, the proportion of undivided Indian families declined from 19.1% to 16.1% between 2001 and 2011, particularly among the poor.
Despite the youth of its population – the median age is 28 – the most populous country in the world, with 1.4 billion inhabitants, will very quickly experience a problem of aging of its population. According to the India Ageing Report 2023, the proportion of the elderly population (60 years and above) is expected to double, by 2050, going from 10.5%, in 2022, to 20.8%. This category will probably, by 2046, be more numerous than those under 15.
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