"You are Raising Someone to Forget You": Smriti Irani Reveals the Heart-breaking Beauty of Motherhood

EXPLAINING THE TRAGIC BEAUTY OF MOTHERHOOD, former Union Minister Smriti Irani talked about the noises and quietness that accompany the state of being a mother at the Mom Power Conference 2026 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Motherhood is often regarded as a concept that continues to unfold with the passage of time, something that has not yet been perfected. American author Jill Churchill once explained motherhood in a short and compact manner:

Actress and politician Smriti Irani’s words on motherhood were referred to by many netizens as an “honest-to-God answer” and “brilliantly articulated.” Irani is a mother to three children: her son, Zohr; daughter, Zoish; and stepdaughter, Shanelle. Speaking at the Mom Power Conference, she was asked about her journey through motherhood while handling a successful acting and political career.

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Irani answered with a touch of humour, asking all the working mothers sitting in the room whether they remembered what had happened during their journey through motherhood.

Smriti Irani on Motherhood and Its Tragic Beauty

Irani shared the clip from the conference on her X account on August 6, 2026, with the caption, “The tragic beauty of being a mother... (a white heart emoji).”

She said, “If there is an honest-to-God answer, none of the women here will remember anything but the fact that they needed to get the job done.” From feeding their kids and making sure their homework was done to ensuring their PPT was also ready, the mothers got the job done. She further took a dig at the classic dialogue that all teenagers must have said to their mothers at some point in time: “Aapko kisne kaha tha? (Who told you to do that?)”

She asked the audience how many of them had to go through a teenager acting out, and the relatability factor was instantly turned on as several women raised their hands. 

She further asked whether they were wondering, “I was just cleaning the nappy, and now this person is talking back to me.” She continued by saying that if all the mothers were asked to explain their feelings about motherhood, they would have no memory of it, but they would talk about the future, when their children would eventually lead their own lives. 

That’s when the point of reflection begins! 

Smriti Irani on What It Takes to Be a MOM

She continued by saying that when one is going through physical pain, such as joint aches, etc., the feeling cannot be explained to anyone else. “When you look at that kid who now does not have the time to call you back, you can't explain it to anybody else. So, that's what it feels like to be a mom,” said Irani.

Speaking about the irony of motherhood, she claimed, “It is a job that is well done only when the kid doesn't need you anymore, and that is the most heartbreaking thing.”

Calling all the men in the room, she added that daughters will remember only when they are reminded of the generational dialogue, “Your mother used to say this: ‘Tumhe tab pata chalega jab tumhare bachhe honge (You’ll understand when you have children of your own.)” She also pointed out the tragic part of motherhood, which is the time after their mother dies. 

“And that is the tragic beauty of motherhood: that you are raising someone to let them go, you are raising someone to forget you, you are raising someone who will never need you again,” she explained. Smriti Irani expressed the melancholic side of motherhood, where a mother is left with memories, photographs, or a text, after spending half of her life raising someone who will forget her in the other half.

Calling women emotional, she stated that this is what it is like to be a mother. She continued that it is this emotion that makes them stronger, work harder, and come back faster.

Who is Smriti Irani?

Smriti Irani became a household name when she conquered television with her role as Tulsi Virani in the soap opera Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. From a successful career in the entertainment industry to venturing into politics, Smriti Irani joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2003.

Over the years, Irani has served in multiple roles, including Union Minister of Textiles (2016–2021), Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting (2016–2018), and Union Minister for Women and Child Development (May 2019–June 2024). She defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 general election, winning the Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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