Date:01/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/01/stories/2008030158480500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

120 ‘leaplings’ arrive in city

These kids will celebrate their ‘actual’ first birthday on February 29, 2012, when they turn four

PHOTO : P.V. Sivakumar

Blessed one: A girl child born to Sreeramulu and Lakshmamma from Mahabubnagar at the Government Maternity Hospital at Koti on Friday. -

HYDERABAD: Life begins at forty is an old saying. But for these 120 infants, life would begin at ten and not forty. They could marry or even buy a drink legally when they turn five. Sounds weird, doesn’t it? This is what happens, at least technically, to ‘leaplings’ - those born on February 29. Officially, their birthday comes once in four years in the leap year alone.

On Friday, some 120 infants were born in Niloufer, Koti and Nayapul maternity hospitals, not to mention the deliveries in private hospitals. These kids would be celebrating their ‘actual’ first birthday on February 29, 2012, when they turn four, if they follow the Gregorian calendar.

Question of date

A baby born to Lakshmamma from Mahabubnagar in Koti Maternity hospital five minutes past midnight, could arguably be the first leap year baby in city government hospitals. But the baby’s father, Sreeramulu, is slightly flustered over the dates. He said he would request the authorities to record the birth day as March 1, instead of February 29.

But a young woman, Zareena (19) is enthusiastic about the date of birth of her son, born at 2.15 a.m. at the same hospital. “Everyone would remember the date easily. It’s just amusing. But of no significance to us,” chuckles her husband Amjad.

There was no dearth of Caesarean sections too on Friday. “Doctors decided this three days ago. My daughter has a unique date of birth. But it’s the year of birth that counts. Isn’t it,” asked Aruna at Nayapul hospital. However, it was a day of significance for the hospital staff who distributed toffees and fruits to mothers of just born babies at these hospitals.