55-Year-Old Woman, Whose Family Collects Scrap To Survive, Gives Birth To 17th Child

Last Updated:August 27, 2025, 12:46 IST

Rekha Kalbeliya of Udaipur gave birth to her 17th child. Of her surviving children, several are now adults, with five already married and raising families of their own.

Rekha's 17th baby was born on Tuesday. (Representative image)

A 55-year-old woman in Rajasthan’s Udaipur gave birth to her 17th child on Tuesday, according to a report in India Today. The birth took place under unusual circumstances, with medical staff initially unaware of Rekha Kalbeliya’s pregnancy history.

As per the report, out of the 16 children Rekha previously delivered, five—four sons and one daughter—tragically passed away shortly after birth.

Of her surviving children, several are now adults, with five already married and raising families of their own.

The baby’s birth has brought renewed attention to the family’s ongoing financial and social hardships. The India Today report mentioned that Rekha’s daughter, Shila Kalbeliya, spoke openly about the family’s long-standing difficulties.

The report cited Shila as saying that it’s been a tough journey for her family over the years and that people are always shocked when they find out how many children her mother has.

Her father, Kavra Kalbeliya, shared the burden of trying to provide for such a large family. Without stable income or housing, the family survives by collecting and selling scrap materials, the report claimed.

Sharing details of his financial struggle, Kavra said he had to take loans from moneylenders at 20 per cent interest just to feed his children. He said that he has already paid back lakhs of rupees, but the interest is still not completely cleared.

Despite being sanctioned a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the family remains without a home due to land ownership issues.

He said he can’t build a house because the land isn’t in his name. He added that he doesn’t have proper resources for food and wedding and has also been unable to provide education to his children.

The recent delivery raised concerns at the Jhadol Community Health Centre, where Rekha was admitted. According to Dr. Roshan Darangi, the family initially hid the key medical information. The gynaecologist said they were initially told that it was Rekha’s fourth child and later the reality was revealed to them, the report further mentioned.

Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18...Read More

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manisha.Roy@nw18...

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Location :

Udaipur, India, India

First Published:

August 27, 2025, 12:42 IST

News india 55-Year-Old Woman, Whose Family Collects Scrap To Survive, Gives Birth To 17th Child

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