Who is Shivon Zilis? Elon Musk On Nikhil Kamath’s Podcast Reveals Partner Is Half-Indian; Son Named ‘Sekhar’

In a recent episode of the popular 'WTF is?' podcast, hosted by Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared personal insights about his family and partner, Shivon Zilis. Known globally for his ventures in electric vehicles, space exploration and artificial intelligence, Musk spoke about Zilis's Indian heritage and the inspiration behind one of their son's Indian names.

Nikhil Kamath-Elon Musk Interview on Podcast 'People By WTF' Episode 6

In one of the most anticipated podcast episodes of the year, Nikhil Kamath sat down with Elon Musk for a wide-ranging conversation on episode 6 of 'People by WTF,' which featured several surprising revelations.

Elon Musk's Partner Shivon Zilis Is Half-Indian: Son's Name Is Sekhar

During the conversation, Musk revealed that Zilis is half-Indian and that one of their sons carries the middle name Sekhar, in tribute to Indian-American physicist and Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. "I'm not sure if you know this, but my partner Shivon is half Indian," Musk said. He added, "One of my sons with her, his middle name is Sekhar after Chandrasekhar."

Who Is Shivon Zilis? Know Her Indian Connection

Shivon Zilis joined Musk's AI company, Neuralink, in 2017, and she currently serves as the Director of Operations and Special Projects. A graduate of Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy, Zilis has played a key role in advancing Neuralink's ambitious projects.

The couple has four children together: twins Strider and Azure, daughter Arcadia, and son Seldon Lycurgus. Musk also used the platform to reflect on the broader contributions of Indian talent in the United States.

When Kamath asked about Zilis's upbringing, Musk shared additional details about her early life. "She grew up in Canada. She was given up for adoption when she was a baby. I think her father was like an exchange student at the university or something like that," he said. He further explained, "I'm not sure of the exact details, but you know it was kind of thing where I don't know, she was given up for adoption. But she grew up in Canada."

"America has been an immense beneficiary of talent from India, but that seems to be changing now," he remarked. His comments come at a time when increasing US visa restrictions and policy unpredictability have created challenges for many Indians aspiring to work and live in the United States.