For generations, Indian society has perfected a contradiction. It has revered mothers as selfless nurturers, praised wives as the anchors of the household and celebrated sacrifice as an essential feminine virtue. Yet when it came to economics and the law, the labour that sustained families was often dismissed as “non-earning” and therefore unworthy of serious recognition.

That contradiction is finally being confronted. The significance of the evolving judicial approach towards homemakers lies not in sentiment but in economics. It acknowledges an uncomfortable truth: unpaid care work is work. It creates value, supports productivity and forms the invisible foundation upon which the formal economy rests. Every working day begins with labour that rarely appears in statistics. Meals are prepared before office-goers leave for work. Children are prepared for school.

Elderly relatives are cared for. Household crises are managed. Emotional support is provided during moments of stress and uncertainty. These activities do not generate salaries,........

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