Gerontology & Geriatric Research

Abstract

Son Preference and Later Life in India: Myth and Reality

Harasankar Adhikari

In Indian society son preference is popularly deep-rooted [1]. It passes from generation to generation historically. Gender biased and patriarchal society is being happy with male off springs [2]. There are several reasons attached to this. Parental socio-economic and educational background has little impact on this matter. Of course, in urban area, this son preference is slowly in changing mode [3]. Parents enjoy more benefit from son than their daughter. Son is their assets while daughter is considered as liabilities so that their investment for their son’s care and development is very much purposive. They opine that son would renew their race and they would take care at their later life [4]. For daughter, they have to pay a handsome dowry and daughter is only a guest in later life. Rephrase, son would bring handsome wealth as dowry and it is gain for future prospect and secure life [5]. A study was conducted to know the status of elderly care at their later life by their sons. For this purpose, a sample of 100 elderly couples above 65 years of age was selected through adopting simple stratified random sampling. Among these 100 couples, 50% population was from urban area (Kolkata, a metro city of Eastern India) and they were financially sound and well off. While rest of the population was from adjacent rural area of the city of Kolkata and they were also financially well off. In this study, race/religion, education and other demographic part were ignored