Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of Telegram, has made headlines with a surprising revelation—he is the biological father of over 100 children across 12 countries. Despite his preference for a solitary lifestyle and his unmarried status, Durov shared that he embarked on this unconventional journey to fatherhood through sperm donation, a decision he made fifteen years ago. His disclosure has sparked varied reactions, including one from none other than Elon Musk.
Before diving into Musk’s reaction, let’s take a closer look at Durov’s unique family situation.
Durov shared on his Telegram channel that the idea of becoming a sperm donor began when a friend approached him with an unusual request. The friend and his wife were struggling with fertility issues and asked Durov to donate sperm to help them have a child. Initially, Durov laughed at the suggestion, but he soon realized his friend was serious.
After visiting the clinic to donate, Durov was informed that his genetic material was considered "high-quality donor material," potentially benefiting numerous couples around the world. Intrigued by this possibility, he decided to continue donating.
Although Durov no longer actively donates, he revealed that an IVF clinic still has some of his frozen sperm, which can be anonymously used by families in need. He expressed a desire to "open-source" his DNA to help others, acknowledging the risks but stating that he has no regrets about his decision.
Durov’s motivation, he explained, is to challenge the stigma surrounding sperm donation and to encourage more healthy men to consider donating. “Defy convention—redefine the norm!” he urged.
This revelation was shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) by the account “Autism Capital,” which is known for its humorous take on citizen journalism. The account joked that Durov was “competing to beat ‘The man with 1000 kids!’”
Elon Musk responded to this with a humorous reply, saying, “‘Rookie numbers lmao’ – Genghis Khan.”
About Pavel Durov
Pavel Durov, now 39 and based in Dubai, is often referred to as "Russia's Zuckerberg." He founded Vkontakte, Russia’s largest social network, at the age of 22. His refusal to hand over user data to Russian authorities led to his exile. He eventually became a French citizen and moved his messaging app, Telegram, to Dubai in 2017.
