Less marital bliss driving IT, ITES couples to divorce

CHENNAI: They may be getting hefty pay, but less marital bliss is driving an increasing number of couples in the IT and ITES sectors to seek divorce.
    
About 40 per cent of divorce cases filed before three family courts in this metropolis, an IT hub, are by professionals in IT and BPO fields, says T K R Sudha, a leading advocate practising in the Madras High Court.
    
The total number of divorce cases filed in the city last year was about 3,000. However, the 3,000-mark has been crossed this year by the end of June itself, she adds.
    
"The family courts, which used to wear a deserted look until a few years ago, are now a beehive of activity. Due to heavy rush, even lawyers find it difficult to move around and
carry out their work," Sudha says.
    
The Chennai city and its suburbs are home to over two lakh IT professionals and BPO employees.     

Dr S Nambi, former President of Indian Psychiatrists' Association, feels that software professionals are paying a heavy price for the hefty pay packets and lavish lifestyle
that their jobs offer.    

As IT field is a brain-taxing competitive job, the professionals get into emotional problems, which reflect on their marital life. Due to mental fatigue, many develop
difficulties in sexual activities which also result in broken marriages, he says.
    
"Around the age of 28, they become hyper sensitive. By 35 they are mentally tired and worn out," remarks Nambi, whose clinic is thronged by several such couples for counselling.

Twenty six-year-old Varsha (name changed), an employee in a leading firm on the IT corridor here, has just celebrated her first wedding anniversary. "But, there was no excitement in the air," she says.
    
Despite living in a same house, she communicates with her software engineer-husband, working for a different company, mostly through phone, SMS and chatting, she says.
    
Having to set out for work in the early hours as her office is quite far off from home, she has very little time to discuss family matters with her spouse or plan for a child.
   
"Of course, we are earning very high income and are able to afford an apartment and an expensive car. But, we have very little time together to enjoy the luxuries of life," she rues.
    
Though the couple has weekend holidays, they carry home their official work and at the end of the day, they are totally exhausted.
    
Varsha says some of her colleagues have even cancelled their honeymoon trip after marriage due to call of duty.     

According to advocate Sudha, work pressure, ego, long separation from spouse and intimacy with co-workers are some of the factors that lead to break down of marriages.
    
Empowered by financial independence, 99 per cent of couples opt for divorce with mutual consent as they can part ways within six months without any claim on either side. They also get encouraged by the gradual change in society's perception of divorce and the stigma attached to it, she says.

Geetha Ramaseshan, an activist-advocate, says the IT revolution has changed the way in which the younger generation looks at the institution of marriage.
    
Influenced by western culture, they perceive marriage only as a matter of convenience, she feels.    

Nambi suggests that IT and BPO companies set up counselling centres on their premises to help employees overcome their marital problems.
    
With their performance being closely assessed, the software professionals work under constant pressure to meet their targets, which ultimately spoils their health both physically and psychologically, he adds.
    
Echoing his view, Varsha says most of her peers have a plethora of health complaints particularly back pain, general weakness and depression.
    
Though IT firms have provided recreational facilities like indoor games and fitness centres for employees to relieve their mental stress, training on yoga and meditation would be more beneficial, she opines.