Plan India, an NGO, said the symbolic seven-billionth baby of the world was born in India at 7.20 am near Lucknow.

Bhagyeshwari, Executive Director of the NGO, said the baby was born to the couple Vinita and Ajay at a local community health centre on the outskirts of Lucknow and the baby was named Nargis.

The NGO was monitoring the birth of the babies in India today as the UN announced that the world population would reach the figure 7th billion today.

While India claimed that the 7 billionth baby was born on the soil of India, Philippines has already celebrated the birth of baby Danica May Camacho as the 7 billion baby of the world. She was born at two minutes before midnight in Manila and the doctors said that was close enough to count it as a Monday birth.

Meanwhile, NGOs and Government agencies around the world have begun celebrating the birth of the 7 billionth baby of the world in their countries and are announcing honours for the new-born babies today.