55-Year-Old Woman Gives Birth to 17th Child, Exposes Population Control Failures
Udaipur (The Uttam Hindu): At a time when governments boast about leading India into the 21st century as a developed nation, ground realities continue to paint a grim picture. A shocking incident from Rajasthan’s tribal belt has exposed the collapse of awareness campaigns on population control. A 55-year-old woman from Udaipur’s Jhadol region has given birth to her 17th child, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of government schemes.
The woman, identified as Rekha Kalbeliya, delivered her baby at the Jhadol Community Health Center. However, out of her 16 previous children, five have already passed away. What makes the case even more startling is that five of her surviving children are already married and have children of their own, making Rekha both a grandmother and a mother at the same time.
Her husband, Kavra Kalbeliya, revealed the family’s struggles. The couple does not own a house and survives in extreme poverty by collecting scrap. To feed their children, Kavra has borrowed money from local lenders at a staggering 20% interest rate, leaving the family trapped in a cycle of debt despite repaying lakhs of rupees. Even though they were allotted a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, lack of land ownership forced them into homelessness once again.
The shocking truth came to light when Rekha was admitted to the hospital. Initially, the family claimed this was her fourth pregnancy, but medical staff were stunned to discover that it was actually her 17th delivery. Gynecologist Dr. Roshan Darangi confirmed the birth and stated that the couple will now be counseled for sterilization to prevent further pregnancies.
This incident starkly highlights how population control schemes, awareness drives, and healthcare policies have failed to penetrate tribal and rural communities. Experts point out that unless development, education, and healthcare reach every household, India’s dream of becoming a developed nation will remain hollow.