TUMAKURU : It was their obsession for a baby boy that prompted this couple at remote Kurkenahalli village in Madhugiri taluk to go for another child, the 12th time.
Forty-year-old Bhagyamma, who had given birth to 11 girl children earlier, delivered a male child on Friday.
The couple rushed the baby in an ambulance to a PHC at Kodigenahalli to ensure that the baby is alright. As the doctor was not available, the nurse examined and told the couple that the baby is healthy.
Later, the husband travelled to Hindupura town in Andhra Pradesh, 22 km away from the village and admitted the mother and the baby in a hospital and they were reportedly discharged on Saturday. 45-year-old Ramakrishnappa and his wife Bhagyamma have been married for sixteen years.
Ramakrishnappa said societal stigma in rural areas prompted him and his wife to long for a son.
“We have not denied food, education and clothes to the rest of our children,” the couple maintained.
Their 5th and 8th children, they too were girls, died due to birth spasm while the family of twelve lives in the village.
They have 1.30 acres of dry land and 20 sheep which they rear for an additional income. Two of their daughters Shwetha (20) and Umadevi(17), passed class X, have been working as labourers at Precot Mills at Hindupur which manufactures yarn. The girls earn over Rs 7,000 per month and share the burden, observe the residents.
Third daughter Chandrakala(15) stopped her education even after clearing class X in supplementary examinations.
Another daughter Sowjanya (13) is studying in class VII at government higher primary school at Kodigenahalli.
Her younger siblings Pavithra(11), Sirisha(9) and Meghana(7) are studying in class V, III and first standard, respectively at a government school. Toddlers Akhila(4) and Sowmya go to an anganwadi.