Elon Musk recently revealed that his son’s middle name, Shekar, is inspired by Nobel Prize-winning Indian-American physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Chandrasekhar is known for his pioneering research on the life cycle of stars and for developing the Chandrasekhar limit. Speaking on a podcast, Musk explained, “My partner is half Indian. My son’s middle name is Sekhar, after the famous Indian physicist.” Grimes, Musk’s partner, has Indian heritage through her stepfather and has spoken positively about growing up in a mixed cultural household.
Musk also highlighted India’s contributions to the U.S., saying the country has greatly benefited from talented Indian individuals. He emphasized the importance of skilled immigration while pointing out issues within the H-1B visa program. Musk explained that although skilled workers are essential for innovation, the visa system has sometimes been misused. Some companies, he noted, prioritize cost savings over talent by hiring cheaper labor through the program.
He stressed that his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, focus on hiring the best talent globally and offer salaries well above the industry average. Musk advocated for reforming the system to attract truly skilled individuals while discouraging its exploitation for cost-cutting.
