The Singwai family in Dhani Bhojraj village, Haryana, is celebrating the birth of their first son after 11 pregnancies. Sunita and Sanjay Singwai, parents of nine daughters, welcomed their son Dilkush on January 4. The family faced constant taunts about being "brother-less". "Neighbours would mock me and say I kept having daughters to get help with the housework," said Sunita. Their daughters have trophies from dance and sports, but they lacked a brother. Thirteen-year-old Sushila showed a drawing of an imaginary brother. Now, the real son has arrived, ending the teasing. Sanjay, who works at a plywood factory, said, "None of this means I don’t love my girls… that is a wrong impression." He hopes to educate his son to be a "big officer" and supports education and jobs for his daughters. The preference for sons is common in Haryana, where the 2011 Census showed the lowest sex ratio of 879 females per 1,000 males. Government efforts have improved this to 923 at birth in 2025, but the desire for sons remains strong in poorer families. Local health worker Lakshmi said, "Many families still believe a son will carry the family’s name forward. Even though it is risky for mothers, many keep having children until they have a boy." Activist Sunil Jaglan, who began the ‘Selfie with Daughter’ campaign, said, "Women face collective pressure. From childhood, they are told a boy will carry the family’s name forward." Cultural roots run deep, with folk songs and language favouring sons. Dr Karan Juneja warned, "Continuous childbirth weakens bone density and leaves women fatigued. We need early conversations starting in schools." Sunita, exhausted after many pregnancies, said she hopes no woman has to endure this many pregnancies for a son. She named her baby Dilkush, meaning a happy heart, ending a long family struggle for a boy.