Started on Savitri Phule's birth anniversary, Pune 'Mad Doc's' battle for 'beti bachao' turns 10

Exactly 10 years ago today a mildmannered Pune medico Dr Ganesh Rakh launched his unique Beti Bachao crusade coinciding with the birth anniversary of the legendary social reformer Savitribai Jyotirao Phule 18311897A decade since the movement has bloomed into a worldwide campaign spanning over a dozen countries and more ready to join the initiative to strengthen the cause of the socalled weaker sexNobody took the good doctor seriously when 10 years ago he announced free delivery of all female infants born at his Rakhs Medicare Hospital RMH and his family society and medical fraternity uncharitably labelled him as a Paagal doctor Mad DoctorUndeterred he passionately continued his small initiative at the RMH which has till date recorded 2014 deliveries of baby girls and the Beti Bachao Jan Andolan BBJA gradually drawing attention all over the country and even internationallyIt was irrespective of the motherfamilys financial status whether normal Rs 25000 caesarian or complicated deliveries Rs 60000 all followed by a big celebration besides free followups and other medical treatment for the motherfemale babyIn November 2021 the National Family Health Survey5 Phase II 20192021 came out stating that now India has 1020 females for every 1000 males a dramatic improvement from 991 females1000 males in barely five yearsBarely a year ago there were concerns in officialdom as Indians still preferred the Ghar ka Chirag over Ghar ki Laxmi but the situation seems to have changed now though there are many scepticsIn 2014 Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the laudable Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to uphold the importance of the girl child However six years later the concerns have increased and become more daunting despite the NFHS5 Phase II results a worried Dr Rakh told IANSLike many experts Dr Rakh feels that the survey outcome is tentative and the real data can be expected only after the Census which was postponed owing to the Covid pandemic last yearNevertheless he cautioned that a depleting sexratio at birth would prove counterproductive in the long run on the socioeconomic fronts with irreversible consequences if not arrested promptlyHe cites the Indian Economic Survey report 20172018 stating an estimated 63 million female feticides in India prebirth the Lancet Medical Journals 2018 report saying that gender bias killed over 240 million girls in the 05 age group postbirth in a 10year period merely because they were born females and the 1998 Nobel Laureate Prof Amartya Sens statement of 37 million missing women way back in 1990At 10 The BBJA today has over 400000 private Indian doctors more than 13000 NGOsorganisations and 26lakh plus volunteers who are directly or indirectly striving to save the girl child says Dr Rakh proudlyAn incredible seachange in attitudes prevalent 10 years ago when families openly abhorred the birth of a female baby the mother and child were shamed by their family or community women facing assaults inside or outside hospitalsThere were diehards who slank away without paying the hospitalisation bills if a female baby was born others would dump them in gutters or garbage to be devoured by dogs or pigs said Dr Rakh of his experiencesThe scenario has gradually changed with many families accepting their Ghar Ki Laxmi and the affluent ones even paying or sponsoring the delivery of some male child born to poor parents or other forms of donation to the hospital or the BBJA cause he addedProminent proponents of BBJA include Haji Syed Salman Chishty the Gaddi Nashin hereditary custodian of the worldrenowned Ajmer Sharif Dargah and 26th direct descendant of Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddeen Hasan Chishty 11421236 AD several Bollywood personalities like Amitabh Bachchan Deepika Padukone Ranveer Singh Director Naggraj Manjule Sairat and moreIslam welcomes the birth of a female child as Huzoor Ka Salaam Greetings of the Prophet Even the Hindu culture salutes her as Goddess Laxmi so why should there be any discrimination Chishty observed at a BBJA rally in JaipurBBJA fame crossed the boundaries to reach the US the UK Canada Australia Pakistan China Nepal Bangladesh Turkmenistan Sudan Malawi Congo Tanzania Zambia MiddleEast and North Africa and other countries with similar campaigns launched with Dr Rakhs mentorshipBorn to extremely poor parents the bright boy completed his entire education on scholarships and now Dr Rakh says he is repaying the old debts to society through the BBJA with full support of his wife Trupti daughter Tanisha and son AdhirajThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever