After 11 Daughters, Woman Gives Birth To Son

Obsession with a male child is not new in India. A boy, as the saying goes, brings 'glory and prestige' to the family. Many Indian parents can go any distance for having a boy even if it requires them to put unnecessary strain on the family's resources. In one such case, 42-year-old Bhagyamma from Kurkenahalli village in Karnataka recently gave birth to a male child after having 11 daughters earlier.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, the baby was rushed to a primary health centre to ensure his well-being. The couple heaved a sigh of relief only when the nurse informed them that the baby is healthy.

Later, the man took his wife and baby to a hospital in the Hindupur town in Andhra Pradesh. The woman was discharged on Saturday.The couple got married 16 years ago.The husband said that his ardent desire to have a male heir stemmed from the societal stigma that is accompanied with a son-less household. He added, "We have not denied food, education and clothes to the rest of our children."

The couple own 1.30 acres of dry land and 20 sheep which they rear for an additional income. The residents told The New Indian Express that two of their daughters have passed class X and are working as labourers at Precot Mills at Hindupura which manufactures yarn. The girls supplement their parents' income by earning Rs 7,000 at the mills. The remaining ones either go to a government school or an anganwadi center.

Despite a plethora of campaigns and other awareness drives to combat gender inequality, this incident mars all our hopes of a society that doesn't differentiate between its sons and daughters. Parents must give more importance to the quality of lives that their children lead.

Image credits: The New Indian Express 

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