THE new sunday express Voices Devdutt Pattanaik Ravi Shankar Sunaina Anand Ajai Sahni gaurav yadav Mata Amritanandamayi MAGAZINE Buffet People Wellness Books Food Art & Culture Entertainment october 12 2025 SUNDAY PAGES 12 contentment The New Happiness Long perceived as a temporary or undesirable state, solitude is slowly being recast as a deliberate choice Life in the Time of Solitude Going solo and loving it is the new philosophy of the young urban Indian on kinship, habitats, and technology I By Tanisha Saxena n the pulsating heart of India’s megacities, where the honking symphony of traffic competes with the clatter of chai glasses in narrow lanes, a quiet revolution is unfolding within the walls of apartments and studio flats. Millennials and Gen Z have a new dictionary of life—solitude, independence, choice, self-worth, renewal, privacy con, nection... The transformation is huge: the rise of the one-person household. To outsiders, this may seem a mere demographic footnote, but it signals something more profound: a reimagining of life in a society long defined by familial intimacy and collective living. Career ambitions have played a significant role in this shift. The lure of professional fulfillment in India’s rapidly evolving knowledge economy often necessitates mobility long , hours, and sometimes geographical separation from family networks. independence . The New Mantra Mukesh Bhatt loves staying alone because it fuels his independence and creativity. Moving away from Uttarakhand and navigating new careers taught him that solitude isn’t loneliness—it’s freedom. Living alone gives him the privacy to focus on music, content creation, and personal growth without distractions. Though it can be costly and sometimes heavy, the independence and mental clarity it brings make it worth it. For him, solitude is a space to create, connect, and define life on his own terms. Young software engineers in Bengaluru or finance professionals in Mumbai may opt for studio apartments over inherited family homes, drawn by proximity to opportunity and freedom from the constraints of extended-family obligations. Friendships take on renewed significance in a context where family presence is not guaranteed, and social calendars are carefully curated rather than assumed. Delayed timelines for marriage, parenthood, and traditional markers of adulthood reflect broader demographic and cultural shifts. In urban India, a 30-year-old woman might prioritise travel, skill acquisition, or entrepreneurial ventures over settling down; a 28-year-old man may choose months of solo living to explore personal passions before entering long-term commitments. Solitude becomes a vessel for autonomy . On one hand, living alone can signify independence, financial stability, and access to cultural and educational capital. On the other, it carries subtle psychological costs. Examples of urban Indians navigating this duality are emerging everywhere. In Delhi, a young architect may fill her one-bedroom flat with plants, books, and music, hosting small dinner parties rather than living with a noisy household; in Chennai, a software professional living alone in a rented apartment uses video calls to maintain familial bonds while enjoying the freedom to explore new hobbies. These lives, seemingly fragmented, are not devoid of meaning—they are carefully calibrated expressions of choice. Even as studies highlight the risks of isolation, they also reveal the rewards: introspection, self-efficacy, and the capacity to cultivate a life of one’s own making. As India urbanises and fertility declines, the number of one-person households is projected to rise by 2050. Solitude is no longer merely a contingency or a transitional phase—it is increasingly a viable, even desirable, lifestyle. It is a space where career ambitions flourish, friendships are intentionally nurtured, and personal timelines are sovereign. “I wouldn’t say I’m lonely,” says Shaaz Bazmi, a 28-year-old architect in New Delhi, whose weekends revolve around food delivery, Netflix, and digital conversations rather than bustling social calendars. “But I also don’t feel the need to meet people every day I like my routine— . work, food, Netflix, travelling and sleep. Social life is an add-on, not a default.” Bazmi is part of a growing cohort of millennials and Gen Z professionals quietly redefining connection in India’s cities. In a society long built on collectivism and community, the quiet choice to live alone—or alone together— marks a seismic shift. Amid the noise of India’s cities, solitude is no longer the absence of company It is . becoming a form of modern presence. Perks of Solitude The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated this trend by dismantling the office as a hub of casual connection. For many young professionals, hybrid or fully remote work has become permanent. “The absence of water-cooler conversations, after-office chai breaks, or shared commutes has eroded everyday sociability says Dr ,” Shilpa Deshpande, a Mumbai-based psychologist. “The vacuum is often filled with digital interactions, which simulate, but don’t replace, physical companionship.” In her 20s, Shruti Lohriwal has built a life that many might call unconventional, but to her feels inevitable. She first moved to Mumbai at 17 for work and later stayed on for college, but it wasn’t circumstance alone that drove her toward solo living—it was independence. “I Turn to page 2 Choice The New Rule Shaaz Bazmi thrives in his own rhythm. Weekends revolve around food delivery, Netflix, travel, and sleep—his independence a choice, not a compromise. Free from family expectations and office chatter, he values stillness over small talk, savouring a life where connection is an option, not an obligation.