Baby Ruaan Khanna is going to have to get used to people’s reactions every time he puts down his date of birth. He was born on 22.2.22, at 9.15am in Brisbane’s Mater Mothers’ Hospital.
Much was made of yesterday’s extraordinary date, 22 February 2022, a palindrome as well as an ambigram, ie, reading the same forwards and backwards and upside down. The term “twos-day” was also bandied about a fair bit, since the unusual date fell on a Tuesday.
Ruaan’s parents Kshitij and Alisha thought it was outlandish when friends casually suggested the forthcoming birth should be induced, for the baby to arrive on this rare date.
“Well, we didn’t have to do that,” Kshitij laughed as he spoke with Indian Link.
“There was some chatter that the hospitals would be crowded with people wanting C-sections or induced births on this day. But no, we didn’t plan this!”
Clearly the baby did – given he wasn’t actually due until three days later on 25 February.
Dad Kshitij said, “We’re just happy our baby arrived safe and healthy. And I’m relieved mum is doing fine. But yes, Ruaan’s birthday is going to be hard for friends and family to forget! And we’ve been inundated with attention the last 24 hours!”
Ruaan, who weighed 2.95 kg, was already well-behaved, the proud dad revealed.
While the numbers 2 and 22 are considered lucky in the Chinese culture, Kshitij admitted he did not know of any such significance in his own Indian culture.
“We’ll have to ask our parents and grandparents,” he smiled.
Should the baby’s name be altered to reflect something “two-sy”? A middle name perhaps?
“We’d already picked Ruaan,” Kshitij said simply.
The name means soft and gentle in the Khannas’ native Hindi language – but apparently also means ‘God’s perfect creation’ in Latin.
Ruaan’s big sister Nyra is looking forward to seeing him. (Her own name relates to Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. It also means ‘Rose’ in Hebrew, Kshitij said.)
With the memorable way in which the numbers are arranged in his date of birth, perhaps little Ruaan will go on to show a love of numbers. (His parents’ professions might also weigh in – dad is a chartered accountant and mum is a data officer with QLD Health).
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