There is no right time or age to embrace any of life’s most beautiful experiences; the perfect time is when you are ready for it. Actress Sangita Ghosh would know. She welcomed her daughter Devi on Christmas day last year at the age of 45.

She says, “I believe one should choose parenthood only when they are prepared for it. Nowadays, medical science and technology have advanced so much that many options are available. Adoption is also a wonderful choice. Becoming a mother at any stage demands adapting to the child’s needs and learning alongside her. It’s both tough and fulfilling. In a way, I believe it’s good that I became a mother at this stage because it motivates me to stay fit for her. I am more experienced and worldly-wise. Some people tell me that I will be in my 60s when Devi turns 20. So what? Growing old is a privilege. Many women tend to neglect themselves after having a child, but I have started focusing on my well-being even more now.”

While age has never been a challenge as a mother, what she finds a little tough is to strike a balance between her baby and her passion – acting. “Devi was just 25 days old when I returned to work with Swaran Ghar. It was very tough, as I was away for most of her initial months. However, she was very well taken care of by my husband in Jaipur and I was constantly in touch through video calls. She also stayed with me for a while in Chandigarh, where I was shooting,”

Sangita shares, adding, “I am a new-age mother, and I want to teach my daughter right from an early age how it’s important for every woman to pursue her own dreams. I am passionate about my work, and I want to be able to create a work-life balance.”

Why not take her child to work, as many actresses do these days? She explains, “I don’t want her to grow up on the sets. My husband and a few others feel that she would be magical in front of the camera, given her lively and expressive nature, but I am not too inclined towards it. I have seen child actors on the sets. They don’t enjoy the freedom they should have as children, and Devi is too young to understand the demanding and erratic schedules of this field. I want her to make her own choices. Also, the atmosphere on sets isn’t suitable for a child; they aren’t always organised and hygienic. Young children absorb everything they see around them. In fact, I am already scared about the time she will start going to school. Comparisons will start, like who has the latest phone, who goes to the most luxurious holiday destinations, or who wears certain brands. Actually, we teach kids the concept of bribery when we say, ‘Do your homework, and we will give you a treat’. In the past, I may not have been conscious of my actions but now with Devi in my life, I have become mindful of my behaviour and words.”

Sangita says, “I want my daughter to pursue her passions and dreams. I want her to learn from life, as it’s the greatest teacher. I would love for her to excel in sports, as it teaches discipline. Having said that, whether she chooses sports, academics or acting will entirely be her decision. I will teach her that even failures are fine because every setback provides a valuable lesson. That’s how you grow in life.”

Sangita Ghosh is in a very happy space right now, but not many know the reason. The actress is a mother to a seven-month-old baby girl, who she has named Devi. Sangita, who was in Jaipur a week ago to perform a puja and havan for her daughter, says, “Devi was born prematurely on December 25 last year. It was an anxious time, as she had issues being a premature baby and was in the NICU for 15-odd days. It’s not that we hid the news, but we decided not to talk about it till we felt the time was right.”

While she is enjoying maternal bliss, she still finds it difficult to believe that she has been blessed with a baby. She shares, “Sometimes, it feels so surreal that I ask my husband to pinch me. Devi is a very happy child and a copy of my husband (entrepreneur Rajvi Shailender Singh). I recited the Gayatri Mantra when I held her for the first time… she opened her eyes and smiled. I can’t forget that moment.”

Soon after the baby was born, Sangita returned to work. She had to move to Chandigarh for the shoot of her show, Swaran Ghar. Understandably, she finds herself torn every time she has to leave her baby, who will be seven months old on July 25, behind for work. She shares, “I was in two minds about taking up the show, but my husband supported me and told me that he was there for the baby. That kind of support and confidence was overwhelming.”

Much before Devi came into the picture, Sangita had been scarred by a miscarriage in 2015. “I can’t explain how bad the experience was. I couldn’t believe it and kept wondering mere saath aise kaise ho gaya.Imagine losing a life that’s growing inside you,” she says.

That’s when the actress plunged deep into work with the series Parvarrish to distract herself. “I needed that confidence and appreciation. So, I got busy with work. Then the pandemic happened and my husband brought up the topic of starting a family again. I was really scared, but he was keen. So, here we are. We didn’t tell anyone because I was worried and superstitious. We informed our mothers after six-to-seven months,” she says.

While she yearns to reunite with her daughter when at the shoot, she isn’t complaining. She has her bundle of joy visiting and staying with her every now and then. “Devi was with me in Chandigarh for a month. She gives me so much joy and I do miss her terribly when she is not with me. The graduation from a woman to a mother makes me feel complete and empowered. My tiny one has me wrapped around her little finger,” she signs off.