By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

When baby Nova was born, he weighed just around 350 grams.

Though fraught with many challenges, his parents and doctors decided to do everything possible to help him return to life. On Friday (September 19, 2025), as he celebrated his first birthday, Lourdes Hospital in Kochi erupted in joy as it was here that Nova was born, at just 23-week gestation.

“At 350 grams, Nova was the baby with the lightest recorded weight in India,” claimed Dr. Rojo Joy, consultant neonatologist.

“Nova had to undergo a range of medical challenges at birth. It was because of the timing of his birth, which was just 23 weeks. The other challenge was his weight. Further, his mother also had a severe case of infection which could have passed on to Nova. Despite all of these risks, with intense medical care and support, we could bring the baby back to life,” he said.

After Nova was born, he was shifted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “His parents were keen on keeping the baby. We cared for the baby at the NICU for 100 days,” said Dr. Rojo. “In the case of Nova, while the baby has turned one, he has reached a development of just eight months,” he added.

Nova’s parents Kevin Duro and Sujisha expressed their gratitude to the hospital, doctors, and nurses at the event.