I just found out that birth certificates in India do not bear the name of the child it is supposedly certifying the birth of. It does indicate whether a child born on March 22, 1979, for instance, is a boy or a girl. Which I guess is pretty much useful in India since the parents need to know whether to expect a dowry or to save up for one. Considering this, the less traditional families have almost no use for the birth certificate except to remind themselves of the misfortune/blessing that befell them one fateful day.
I may sound mocking but that is mostly because I am. But I am not as quick to dismiss any rational explanation for the nameless birth certificate. Tu Desi? Please enlighten a fool.
