Having been named “Unwanted” by their parents at birth, a total of 222 girls will receive new names in a function organized by Indian authorities. The ceremony will take place in Satara district with the aim of promoting the prestige of these girls from western Maharashtra, where at present only 881 girls are born for every 1000 boys due to selective abortions and feticide.In India, the preference for male children is painfully obvious - a son carries the lineage, inherits property and cares for his elderly parents, whereas in the case of a daughter, parents ‘lose’ her when she marries and must additionally pay a large dowry to the groom’s family.
In Satara district, authorities carried out an investigation to find out how many girls were named Nakushi (Unwanted), after a district health officer discovered the name in a register - there were 222 in total. "Parents do this to make it clear that they did not want a baby girl. This area has very fertile fields and a flourishing industry, and parents believe that boys can work the land and make more money", said the officer. "These cases tend to occur among poor families. They don’t usually do it with their first girl child but with the second or third, when they consider her to be a burden", he added.
According to the information officer, the girls will be able to choose their future name during the public ceremony, a name that can represent their own wish to be alive and loved.
