IIM alumnus and entrepreneur Shantanu Deshpande predicts the rise of urban India’s ‘Boomerang generation’. What does it mean?

Shantanu Deshpande, IIM Lucknow alumnus and founder of Bombay Shaving Company, recently sparked discussion on LinkedIn by highlighting a growing social trend he calls the “Boomerang generation” of urban India. According to Deshpande, a rising number of men and women over 30 are moving back in with their parents, merging the worlds of Gen Z and Gen X under one roof.

Why the Trend is Emerging

In his post, Deshpande points to multiple pressures driving this shift. Career trajectories often fall short of expectations, while the cost of living, particularly housing, has surged faster than incomes. International education loans and unaffordable homes make independent living challenging, forcing young adults back into the family home.

“This creates an enforced ‘joint family’ scenario with 4-5 adults, all valuing independence and autonomy,” Deshpande explained. Parents feel the weight of collective dreams, while children returning home face diminished self-confidence as they navigate household rules they once left behind.

Everyday Life Becomes a Challenge

Deshpande notes that even routine activities such as planning vacations, ordering food, or inviting friends over may now become sources of tension. He likens the phenomenon to “Hub-Sons” in the United States, where adult children temporarily return home during financial or career uncertainties.

The entrepreneur sees this as a fascinating social shift, saying, “It will be interesting to see how Gen X and Gen Z negotiate shared spaces while maintaining their individual aspirations.”

Implications for Families and Society

Experts suggest that this trend could redefine family dynamics, intergenerational relationships, and urban living in India. The Boomerang generation highlights not just economic pressures but also evolving notions of independence, autonomy, and familial negotiation in modern cities.

Shantanu Deshpande’s insight, shared via LinkedIn, serves as a timely reminder that India’s urban households may be bracing for a new kind of intergenerational balancing act, where ambition, independence, and collective living intersect in unexpected ways.