Dec. 28: He didn’t arrive with a silver spoon in his mouth. But his birth has been noticed like few others in a country of a teeming 1.1 billion, and raised whoops of joy in places as far as London.

The little boy, born on December 24 at Port Blair’s G.B. Pant Hospital, has taken the population of the extinction-threatened Onge tribe from 92 to 93.

Coming two weeks after eight Onges died of possible hooch poisoning on their island of Little Andaman, the event was celebrated by academics, tribal activists and government officials.

“Every birth among the Onges is a reason to celebrate,” said V.S. Sahay, the head of the department of anthropology, University of Allahabad.

Survival International, a London-based group working for the protection of tribes facing extinction, said in a release: “One more birth in the tribe is a cause for cheer.”

Mother Tikoigagae, 31, a resident of Dugong Creek on Little Andaman, was brought to Port Blair for delivery, the Andaman administration said in an official statement today.

“Mother and child are doing well,” said the deputy director of tribal health, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, R.C. Kar.