Jaipur, Sept 1: At an age when most women are busy doting over their grandchildren, a 55-year-old woman from Rajasthan's Udaipur district found herself cradling her 17th newborn.
The delivery at the Community Health Centre in Jhadol block has set the otherwise quiet Lilavas village abuzz. Relatives, neighbours and curious villagers thronged the hospital to catch a glimpse of Rekha, many amused at the sight of grandchildren welcoming the newborn girl.
Rekha, married to a scrap dealer, Kavara Ram Kalbelia, has given birth 17 times over the past decades. Of these, five children -- four boys and a girl -- died shortly after birth. The couple is left with 12 surviving children: seven sons and five daughters.
Life in the Kalbelia household straddles three generations under one roof. "Two of my sons and three of my daughters are married. Each of them has two or three children," Kavara said, his voice carrying both pride and weariness.
This means that while Rekha tends to her newborn, she is already a grandmother to several toddlers.
But beneath the novelty lies a tale of hardship. With limited means, Kavara ekes out a living by selling scrap. He admits he had to take loans at high interest to arrange weddings for his children.
"No member of the family has ever gone to school," he said candidly, underscoring the cycle of poverty that continues to shadow the large family.
Doctors at the Jhadol centre say the delivery was nothing short of a medical challenge. Rekha had initially told them she was having her fourth childbirth.
Block CMHO Dr Dharmendra from Jhadol Government Hospital said the case reflects the challenges in a tribal-dominated area where a lack of education and awareness often leads to such situations.
"This is a nomadic family that does not stay in one place for long. Eleven surviving children have been found with them. If such cases come to light, we will ensure that they get the benefits of government schemes, and collective efforts will be made to support them," he said.
Gynaecologist Dr Roshan Darangi, who oversaw the delivery, said that during admission, the family initially claimed it was the woman's fourth childbirth.
"Later, it emerged that this was in fact her 17th. Now, she will be motivated for sterilisation," Darangi said.
Another doctor at the hospital, Dr Mukesh Garasiya, said the woman had been admitted on August 24.
He said that the woman came without any sonography reports or pre-delivery tests. "She could have died due to excessive bleeding during childbirth. With so many previous deliveries, the uterus becomes weak, and the risk of haemorrhage is very high. Fortunately, this time everything went well," he said.
The safe birth has been greeted with relief, but also sparked conversations in the region. For some villagers, Rekha's story is one of resilience; for others, it is a stark reminder of poverty, illiteracy and lack of awareness about family planning in rural Rajasthan.
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