Several young city couples have scored a perfect 10 this Puja, taking advantage of a numerological quirk in the October calendar and a little help from doctors to become proud parents of babies whose CVs would read: “DoB 10.10.10”.

Amit and Shalu Saraf had originally planned the birth of their first child by Caesarean section on Ashtami, oblivious to the possibility of such a unique birthday for the unborn baby. It was only when friends and relatives pointed out the magic configuration post-delivery at the Bhagirathi Neotia Woman and Child Care Centre that the Alipore couple realised the significance of the 10.10.10 date.

“I don’t have much faith in numerology or astrology. My only concern was my wife and baby’s health. But when friends and relatives called us up to say that 10.10.10 was a nice birthday to gift to our child, the date thing sunk in. I am glad he is both healthy and lucky,” Amit, who runs a business, told Metro on Sashthi.

For Chandranath and Sriparna Chakraborty, who were expecting their second child, 10.10.10 was always a possibility after the doctor told them that the baby was due around that date. “We insisted that he did the Caesarean on October 10, provided it was medically safe. Thank God everything went off well,” recounted Chandranath, a CID officer.

Baby Chakraborty was born famous at 12.54pm on the appointed date at Ruby General Hospital. His parents have since been looking up a long list of “auspicious” names to select one that would match his “lucky” date of birth.

The four-day-old’s elder sibling, six-year-old Sreyashi, is just as overjoyed at having a brother whose birthday has already become his calling card. “Our daughter, who was born on August 12, still hasn’t got over the excitement of her brother arriving on such a unique date. In fact, I would have considered myself very lucky if I had such a date of birth,” said Chandranath, a resident of Baruipur.

According to astrologers and numerologists, 10.10.10 is a number of the sun and that anyone born on this date would enjoy that extra dose of luck.

In the Alipore home of the Sarafs, the first letter of the youngest family member’s name has already been chosen: T. The jury is still out on the name choices, though.

Could Ten-dulkar be an option? “Our parents have checked with astrologers and keeping in mind the time-date factor, they have said that the letter ‘T’ would suit him best. We will follow their advice,” said Amit, whose wife is a chartered financial analyst.

The couple are, however, unwilling to make “too many plans” for their son, lest it be a burden on him as he grows up.

“Even without planning for anything he has been blessed; so we will leave his well-being and future to fate again. I am sure he will always be lucky,” wished Amit.

Although 10.10.10 would count as a rarest of rare date of birth on any CV, unique or so-called auspicious birthdays are not hard to come by. Hordes of would-be parents across the world had planned for millennium babies in 1999 so that their children would arrive on the first day of the new century.

With C-section being the chosen method for most couples, doctors often allow them to choose not only the date but often even the time of birth.

Gynaecologist Dhrubaa Ray, who led the medical team that conducted the Caesarean on Sriparna, said such requests were common. “But we go for it only if the foetus is mature enough for delivery. A delivery can be advanced by up to a fortnight without any risk to the baby if all medical parameters are fine.”

Do you know of a baby born on 10/10/10? Tell ttmetro@abpmail.com