I’d hear the familiar horn of our Maruti 800 around seven in the evening while studying in my room, and instantly, I’d run to the gate. He’d step out of the car, and I’d wait eagerly for him to open the passenger door. I’d hop in, and just like that, we were off, heading to Hazratganj in Lucknow for kebabs and chai.

That was our little ritual — a daddy-daughter date that meant the world to 11-year-old me, full of shared laughter, secrets, and the kind of comfort that only comes from knowing you’re deeply loved.

As Father’s Day approaches this year, I find myself wondering: Did my father ever say the words, “I care about you”? I can recall a few moments when his emotions slipped through; in gestures, in silence, in half-smiles. And other times, I could sense he wanted to say something, but just couldn’t.

And he’s not alone. Many fathers love fiercely, but they’ve been shaped by a world that taught them to hold their feelings back. Conditioned by patriarchy and outdated ideas of masculinity, they were told to stay strong, to “keep it in.” This story is for them.

In speaking with fathers across the country for The Better India, we invited them to put their emotions into words and to share the love they often struggle to express. What follows is a kind of open letter, a heartfelt offering from fathers to their children. Proof that they do feel deeply, even if the words sometimes stick in their throat.

These are their truths, unfiltered and tender.

‘I got the maps you forgot, even when I was running late’

“‘Chhelera kaadey na’ (boys don’t cry) was drilled into us early on. If something hurt, I brushed it off, kept quiet, and moved on. Feelings became things I didn’t name, only sensed when things felt ‘baje’ (off). So when fatherhood came, it felt — ‘baba hote giye matha ghure gelo’ (becoming a father turned my world upside down), but the words stayed stuck inside.

© The Better India