Elon Musk has named one of his sons Strider Sekhar, and the middle name “Sekhar” connects directly to India’s scientific history through Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Musk chose this route because he appreciates Indian mental capabilities, and because his business partner Shivon Zilis is half Indian. Sharing a photo with his kids, Elon shared on X, “Me with my son, Strider Sekhar (named after Aragorn & great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar) and daughter, Comet Azure, named after the most powerful spell in Elden Ring.”Who was Subrahmanyan ChandrasekharSubrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was born in 1910 in Lahore, to a Tamil Brahmin family, with deep roots in South India. He studied at Cambridge University from age 19, and spent much of his career at the University of Chicago. His main discovery known as the Chandrasekhar Limit, shows the maximum amount of mass which white dwarf stars can support before they transform into black holes or supernovae.The Nobel Prize in Physics awarded Chandrasekhar in 1983 recognized his work, which established him as the first Indian-born scientist to receive the award in astrophysics independently. His theories form the basis for modern star research which directs current space exploration missions.Musk’s familyElon Musk has 14 children, many with names inspired by science, fiction, and math, such as X Æ A-Xii. Strider Sekhar and his twin sister Azure, born in November 2021 through IVF, share parents Elon Musk and Shivon Zilis, a top executive at Neuralink.Shivon Zilis maintains her origins in IndiaShivon Zilis was born in Canada, but has partial Indian ancestry, which Musk described as making her “half Indian” during a 2025 conversation with Zerodha founder Nikhil Kamath. Zilis graduated from Queen’s University and Yale. She worked at Tesla before taking the position of director of operations at Neuralink. She and Musk share four children together and maintain a private life despite his public profile.Why Chandrasekhar inspired MuskMusk’s companies including SpaceX operate based on astrophysics principles which Chandrasekhar developed, for understanding star evolution and black holes. The naming of his son after him demonstrates his admiration for the scientific basis which guides Musk’s mission to colonize Mars.During the 2023 UK AI Safety Summit, Musk mentioned the name to India’s former minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who shared it online. Zilis verified the story which created increased enthusiasm about the technological connections between India and the United States.Musk’s pattern of meaningful namesMusk chooses names which possess particular significance. Examples include Techno Mechanicus for math, and Exa Dark Sideræl for a supercomputer unit. Strider Sekhar follows this pattern through his work, which unites literary elements with scientific knowledge and cultural aspects.Musk chose these options because they demonstrate his interest in developing space exploration for human survival and his goal to increase global population numbers.India’s role in global science and techDuring his early years, Chandrasekhar moved out of India, but his accomplishments made him famous among people who resided outside their native country. Musk’s companies currently receive their workforce from India, because Tesla has announced factory construction and Starlink has shown interest in growing its operations in the country.The name story became popular on social media platforms through the hashtag #StriderSekhar which brought pride to Indian media users.
