Deputy Inspector General Savita Sohane, a 2009 batch IPS officer is in the news these days for giving tips to teenaged school girls on how to produce ojaswi or smart and intelligent babies and other issues related to pregnancy and reproductive health under the ‘Main Hoon Abhimanyu’ program in Madhya Pradesh.
The ‘Main Hoon Abhimanyu’ initiative aims to empower adolescent girls and promote their health and well-being. By engaging with school girls and providing them with information and support, the “Main Hoon Abhimanyu” program seeks to empower them to take control of their lives and make positive choices about their health and well-being.
The program’s objectives likely include:
- Educating girls about their rights, health, and well-being to enable them to make informed decisions about their lives.
- Providing information and guidance on reproductive health, including pregnancy, to help girls navigate these issues safely and healthily.
- Raising awareness about the risks associated with child marriage and teenage pregnancy, and promoting strategies to prevent these issues.
Sohane advice to adoloscent girls is to offer water to the Sun or conceive on the full moon day if they wish to give birth to handsome, smart and intellectually sound Ojaswi babies.
Ojaswi – a Sanskrit word means “full of vitality” and “bright.
“Ojaswi babies” refers to healthy, intelligent, and energetic children who are born with strong physical and mental constitution.
According to traditional Indian beliefs and Ayurvedic principles, the timing of conception and quality of the sperm and egg cells can influence the health and characteristics of the child.
Savita Sohane’s advice to the school girls approaching the age of puberty and studying in class 10th, 11th and 12th includes suggestions like:
- Avoiding conception on full moon nights – this can lead to children with emotional and behavioural problems
- Bow in front of the sun and offer water and say namaskar so that ‘Ojasvi’ child is born.’
- Choose the right time for conception – the “uttarayana” period between January and July, is considered an auspicious for conception.
- Avoid excessive use of technological devices such as mobile phones and laptops to minimize the risk of health problems in the child.
- Follow certain rituals and practices during conception and pregnancy
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet during pregnancy – a healthy lifestyle along with regular exercise, and adequate sleep ensure the health and well-being of the child.
Sohane’s supporters – there are many – who say her lectures are based on her personal spiritual experiences. These include studying scriptures and listening to religious discourses. Regarding the advice to avoid pregnancy during the full moon, she said that the full moon is considered a sacred time in Hinduism.
Savita Sohane, a 2009 batch IPS officer is currently posted as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Shahdol Range, in Madhya Pradesh. Previously, she was posted as DIG, PHQ, Bhopal, and has also held the position of DIG, Ajak, PHQ, Bhopal. She used to be Commandant of the 29th Battalion of the Special Armed Force (SAF) in Datia, Madhya Pradesh.
Prior to joining the police force 31 years ago, Sohane used to work as a teacher in a government school.
Meanwhile Sohane’s initiative has sparked a heated debate in the public, with some people praising her for giving valuable information to young people, while others criticize it as unscientific and misleading. According to the sceptics these beliefs and practices are unscientific and misleading.
People opposing Sohane managed to shoot a video of her talking to the girls about family planning in future. In the video she was shown as asking, “You will bring Naya Bachpan (new generation) on earth. How are you going to do it?”
This proved to be the root cause of the problem as many people did not like such questions being posed to unmarried girls. These people say that it is not appropriate for a police officer to give such advice to school girls, especially when she himself is unmarried.
Some of their concerns include:
- There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that conception during full moon night or any other specific time can affect the health or intelligence of the child.
- The officer’s advice perpetuates misinformation and myths about conception and childbirth, which can be harmful and misleading for young people.
- The advice creates unrealistic expectations about the importance of timing conception and the potential consequences of not following these guidelines.
- The advice ignores established health guidelines and recommendations for healthy conception and childbirth, which are based on scientific evidence and expert consensus.
Expert Opinions
Experts in the field of reproductive health and genetics have expressed concern about the IPS officer’s advice. They argue that the timing of conception has no proven impact on the health or intelligence of the child and that the advice perpetuates misinformation and myths.
“It is essential to provide young people with accurate and evidence-based information about reproductive health and childbirth,” said a gynaecologist who did not wish to be named.
“The IPS officer’s advice is not supported by scientific evidence and can be harmful for young people”, she added.
However according to Savita Sohane’s advice to the young girls is very much relevant because of the increasing cases of crimes against women and children.
Conclusion
The IPS officer’s advice on the dos and don’ts for bearing “ojaswi” babies has sparked a heated debate among the public. While some people have welcomed the advice, others have criticized it as unscientific and misleading. It is essential to approach such advice with a critical and nuanced perspective, recognizing the importance of providing young people with accurate and evidence-based information about reproductive health and childbirth.
