In a growing trend, families in New Delhi are abandoning the city’s toxic air in search of healthier environments, prioritizing their children’s well-being over urban ties. Natasha Uppal, a 36-year-old maternal health advocate, and her husband made the life-altering decision to leave Delhi in 2022 after years of battling severe migraines and indoor confinement due to hazardous air quality. Their relocation to Bengaluru coincided with the discovery of her pregnancy, marking a pivotal moment in their lives. Uppal described the move as the ‘best decision,’ emphasizing that clean air is a ‘basic human right.’ While Bengaluru’s air quality occasionally exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) limits, it pales in comparison to Delhi’s months-long smog, allowing her son to play outdoors freely. Delhi, home to over 30 million people, consistently ranks among the world’s most polluted cities. Each winter, the capital is engulfed in a toxic haze fueled by crop burning, factory emissions, and vehicular pollution. PM2.5 levels, cancer-causing microparticles small enough to enter the bloodstream, have soared to 60 times WHO limits. Despite government measures like partial vehicle bans and cloud-seeding trials, the crisis persists. A 2022 study in The Lancet Planetary Health estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution. The UN children’s agency warns that polluted air heightens children’s risk of acute respiratory infections. Vidushi Malhotra, another Delhi expatriate, relocated to Goa in 2021 after her two-year-old son repeatedly fell ill. She now encourages others to follow suit, sparking what she calls a ‘mini-movement.’ Meanwhile, some families, like Roli Shrivastava’s, remain in Delhi but live in constant anxiety. Shrivastava, whose toddler suffers from worsening respiratory issues each winter, prepares for another season indoors, relying on air purifiers and nebulisers. She admits that relocation is a frequent consideration, stating, ‘Delhi is not a good place to raise kids when it comes to air pollution.’