Elon Musk shared that Shivon Zilis is half-Indian and their son’s middle name is “Sekhar”
He said the name was tribute to physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
He also discussed other topics such as immigration, the H-1B visa system, and parenthood.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has shared that his partner, Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, is half-Indian — a detail many were unaware of. He also revealed that one of their sons carries the middle name “Sekhar,” chosen as a tribute to renowned Indian-American physicist and Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Musk mentioned this during his conversation with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath on the “People by WTF” podcast.
During the podcast, Musk said: “I’m not sure if you know this, but my partner Shivon is half-Indian. One of my sons with her, his middle name is Sekhar after Chandrasekhar.”
Musk also spoke about Zilis’s early life, saying she grew up in Canada and was given up for adoption as a baby. “I think her father was like an exchange student at the university or something like that. I’m not sure of the exact details,” he added, noting that he does not know the full story of her biological family.
Zilis joined Neuralink in 2017 and currently serves as the company’s Director of Operations and Special Projects. A graduate of Yale University with a BA in Economics and Philosophy, she has four children with Musk—twins Strider and Azure, daughter Arcadia, and son Seldon Lycurgus.
Musk also remarked on the contribution of Indians to the United States, saying: “America has been an immense beneficiary of talent from India, but that seems to be changing now,” at a time when many Indians are facing tightening visa restrictions and policy uncertainty in the US.
The podcast episode was released on November 30, 2025, following a widely viewed promotional teaser. During the conversation, Kamath expressed surprise upon learning that Zilis has Indian heritage.
Musk and Kamath then moved into a broader conversation on immigration, Indian talent, and how the idea of the American dream is evolving. Musk said the US has historically benefited tremendously from highly skilled Indians, but the current political climate is beginning to shift that dynamic.
He pointed to rising illegal immigration, deepening political polarisation, and misuse of the H-1B visa programme as key reasons behind the growing anti-immigrant sentiment. He criticised both ends of the political spectrum — noting that the left pushes for “open borders, no holds barred,” even for individuals with criminal backgrounds, while the right insists that immigrants “take American jobs.” Musk disagreed with this claim, saying: “There is always a scarcity of talented people… more talented people would be good.”
While acknowledging that some outsourcing companies have exploited the H-1B system, Musk cautioned against drastic measures. “Shutting it down would actually be very bad,” he said. He stressed that hiring at his companies is driven by talent, not cost-cutting: “We pay above average. We’re just trying to get the most talented people in the world.”
The discussion eventually shifted to parenthood. When Kamath mentioned he didn’t have children, Musk gently encouraged him, saying, “Maybe you should. You won’t regret it.” Musk spoke warmly about the profound joy of raising kids — how watching them grow, learn, and become aware of the world brings an unmatched sense of purpose. He said that having children gives life a new perspective, adding with a smile that “you have this little creature that loves you and you love them back.”
Musk said, “I mean, I think we fundamentally have to have kids or go extinct, you know.”
[Rh]
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