Section Article

Changing Structures of the Indian Family in the Age of Modernity
Author(s): Akash Roy

Abstract
The Indian family has historically functioned as a pivotal unit of social organization moral regulation and economic production. Traditionally characterized by joint living arrangements intergenerational cohabitation and patriarchal hierarchies the Indian family has undergone significant transformations in the context of modernity. This paper investigates the changing structures of Indian families by examining the impact of urbanization industrialization globalization individualism and changing gender roles. Using sociological theories and empirical observations the paper analyzes the shift from joint to nuclear family systems the redefinition of marital relationships the decline in fertility rates and the emergence of new familial forms such as single-parent households live-in relationships and child-free couples. The study emphasizes that these changes are not linear or uniform but are shaped by class caste region and cultural variations. While modernity offers avenues for personal autonomy and re-negotiation of roles within families it also generates new anxieties around identity care and social belonging.