SC worried about rising '1 person, 1 family' culture; says unity 'eroding' in India that preaches vasudhaiva kutumbakam

In a ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court raised alarms about the "erosion" of the institution of family, reflecting a broader societal concern.

Justices Pankaj Mithal and SVN. Bhatti observed that while India has long upheld the idea of vasudhaiva kutumbakam—meaning "the world is one family"—the nation now faces challenges in maintaining unity even within the nuclear family.

"In India we believe in vasudhaiva kutumbakam, i.e., the earth, as a whole, is one family. However, today we are not even able to retain the unity in the immediate family, what to say of building one family for the world,” the bench said


The justices further noted that the very concept of "family" is being weakened, leading to the emergence of a "one person, one family" model, which signifies a worrying shift away from traditional values of togetherness and communal support.

“The very concept of 'family' is being eroded and we are on the brink of one person one family," it added.

One nation, no family?

The reflection comes as a harsh reality check in the wake of India's G20 Presidency in 2023, during which the nation championed the theme of vasudhaiva kutumbakam on the global stage.

As the world’s largest democracy and a country rich in cultural diversity, the philosophy of vasudhaiva kutumbakam—the belief that the Earth is one big family—has been a central pillar of Indian society.

However, the top court’s remarks echoed a troubling disconnect.

The case that triggered these reflections involved a woman seeking to evict her eldest son from the family home, citing years of alleged abuse and disputes over property.

The legcal battle, stemming from deeply rooted family conflicts, reflected the erosion of traditional family structures as such cases have been on the rise in the country.

(With PTI inputs)