Pune Doctor Waives Fees for Birth of Girl Child, Delivers Over 2,000 Girls Free
In Pune, a heartwarming story shows how one doctor is quietly changing social traditions about daughters.
A daily wage worker once rushed his wife to Medicare Hospital for delivery. When doctors said a cesarean section was needed, he panicked, fearing he would have to mortgage his house to pay the bill. After the birth, he nervously asked the doctor, “What child is it?”
“You have been blessed with an angel,” replied Dr. Ganesh Rakh, smiling at the father of a newborn baby girl. When the man asked about fees, Dr. Rakh said, “When angels are born, I don’t charge any fee.” Overcome with emotion, the father fell at his feet, calling him God.
For more than a decade, Dr. Rakh has been waiving all charges whenever a girl is born at his hospital. That includes surgeries like cesarean deliveries, which usually cost around ₹50,000. Each birth is celebrated with sweets and cake. So far, he has delivered more than 2,000 girls free of cost.
His mission began in 2012 after the 2011 census showed India’s child sex ratio had dropped to 914 girls for every 1,000 boys. As a doctor, he had often witnessed how families celebrated when a boy was born, but cried or even insulted the mother when a girl was delivered. Moved by this discrimination, he started the Mulgi Vachva Abhiyan (Save the Girl Child Campaign).
The decision came with financial challenges. His family and staff were worried about the burden, but Dr. Rakh remained determined. “As long as there is demand for sons, there will be sex-selective abortions. Killing a girl child before birth is as much a crime as murder,” he says.
What started as one doctor’s resolve has now grown into a movement. Over 13,000 organisations and 2.5 million people in India and abroad have joined in. His campaign has found supporters in Bangladesh, Nepal, Canada, and the UK.
Dr. Rakh credits his wife Trupti and daughter Tanisha for their support. “Every girl I deliver is like my own daughter,” he says. The greatest reward for him is when parents return years later to show how their daughters are flourishing.
While awards and recognition have followed, Dr. Rakh’s goal is simple: a society where the birth of a daughter is celebrated just as much as that of a son.
