A short video from an Indian airport has triggered a fierce online debate around motherhood, migration and choice. Last week, Manasa Banoth, a 28-year-old single mother from Hyderabad, shared a clip of herself bidding an emotional goodbye to her three-year-old daughter before flying to Canada for higher studies. The video quickly went viral. So did the backlash. What many viewers saw as a personal moment of separation turned into a public trial on social media.
Manasa’s decision to leave her child in India while she pursued education abroad was questioned, criticised, and, in some cases, harshly condemned.
A Goodbye That Went Viral
The video was posted on January 26. It shows Manasa’s daughter crying as her mother walks into the airport alone.
The caption read, “23 kg allowed… so I left my heaviest piece of my heart behind.” Within days, the clip crossed 2.8 million views on Instagram.
As the video spread, so did commentary. Several users accused her of choosing ambition over motherhood. One comment read, “Is any work or job so important that you leave your toddlers in another country just to work elsewhere? Please don’t tell me it’s a ‘dream career’.”
Another wrote, “Then why not take her with you? Single mother is just an excuse. Am too a single mother, but my daughter is always by my side.” Another comment said, “How sad that your child is less important than these materialistic realities. This will be etched in your child’s heart forever and no Canadian PR passport will ever replace the days your child wanted to be with you.”
‘Hardly Enough To Support Myself And My Daughter’
Speaking to HT.com over a phone call, Manasa said the trolling was painful but did not change the circumstances she is dealing with. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Internetworking in Canada, with the aim of securing long-term financial stability for herself and her daughter.
Manasa said her marriage ended after domestic violence, and her husband cut off all contact following their daughter’s birth in March 2022. Since then, she has raised the child on her own. After returning to Hyderabad, she lived with her parents and searched for work.
She eventually found a job as an HR professional earning Rs 40,000 per month. “I was working the night shift. My in-hand salary was around Rs 35,000 per month. It was hardly enough to support myself and my daughter,” she said.
Why Her Daughter Stayed Back
Manasa explained that her daughter cannot currently travel overseas due to legal hurdles. Her husband’s consent is required for the child’s passport, and the matter is still in court. “My daughter is three years old. My ex-husband does not respond to any communication, and I am fighting this alone,” she said.
Her father is currently funding her education, while Manasa works two part-time jobs in Canada. “I work at a coffee shop and then at a restaurant. I use this money for rent, groceries, utilities and other expenses,” she explained.
She hopes to find work as a network engineer after completing her degree. “I also do not want to rely on my father anymore,” she said. “Now I feel it is my responsibility to earn and provide my daughter with the same opportunities and care that my father gave me,” she explained.
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