A Haryana couple welcoming their first son after 10 daughters has triggered a wave of reactions online, ranging from sarcasm and concern to sharp criticism about patriarchy, son preference and maternal health risks.

A video of the father naming all ten daughters, fumbling midway went viral on social media. Under the post, users commented, “Bro is single-handedly fixing the sex ratio of Haryana with his parochial and patriarchal mindset”

Some called it “madness for a baby boy,” while others criticised it by saying it, “looks fake/scripted for marketing”

“Give them a state honour for relentless perseverance —ten trial runs before finally ‘perfecting’ the 11th product, proudly co-created under Make in India,” wrote another.

Many questioned the obsession with a male child and the risk to the mother after 11 pregnancies, calling it a serious public-health concern rather than a celebration.

High-risk delivery, but mother and newborn stable

The baby boy was born earlier this week at Ojas Hospital and Maternity Home in Uchana, Jind district.

Doctors termed it a high-risk delivery because the 37-year-old mother had already undergone 10 previous childbirths.

Dr. Narveer Sheoran said the situation was medically challenging and three units of blood had to be transfused during delivery. Fortunately, both mother and child are now stable and recovering.

The woman was admitted on January 3 and delivered the child the next day before being discharged to her village in nearby Fatehabad.

The father, Sanjay Kumar, a daily-wage labourer, said openly that the family had been hoping for a son.

“We were keen that there should be a son and some of my elder daughters also wished to have a brother,” he said.

However, he rejected claims that he looks down on girls.

“It is not like that...I also think that girls are capable of achieving anything these days and they have proved their mettle in various fields. They are making everyone proud,” he said.

He added that, despite his limited income, he tries to educate all his children.

Persistent son preference meets harsh demographics

Haryana has long battled gender imbalance and female foeticide. Despite improvement in recent years, it still lags behind the national average in sex ratio.

Health experts warn that repeated pregnancies motivated by the desire for a male heir severely endanger women’s lives, causing anaemia, complications, and maternal exhaustion.