Obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr. Aruna Kalra shares her firsthand experience of the persistent preference for a male child in her book, I Want a Boy. Through real-life stories, she highlights the lengths to which some couples go in their quest for a son, capturing the deep-rooted societal bias that continues to drive families toward selective abortions and multiple pregnancies. Dr. Kalra notes that, according to data, an estimated 4-12 million female foetuses have been aborted over the past 30 years, and the brutal practice still exists today.
In a society where technological progress and shifting social norms are expected to challenge traditional biases, the demand for a male heir remains widespread. Dr. Kalra reflects on this through her early experiences during her residency at government hospitals, as well as through stories from upmarket maternity homes.
Published by Vitasta, her book combines personal anecdotes with commentary on repeated pregnancies, selective abortions, and age-old rituals all aimed at having a boy.
Dr. Kalra asserts, “I have highlighted the world inside a maternity ward in most government hospitals in India.” She explains her motivation: “The truth is often buried deep inside these hospitals, and it needs to be exposed and addressed more aggressively.”
Dr. Kalra’s account reveals that the desire for a male child spans all social classes, affecting both wealthy, educated families in corporate hospitals and lower middle-class, uneducated families.
She emphasizes, “These stories are being enacted daily in real-life for the vast majority of our country’s women – women who have no voice and are forced to succumb to the norm.”
Dr. Kalra hopes her book will spark a change in perceptions and shed light on a problem affecting countless women across the country.