Last May, Singari, a young mother, of Kharijhola village in Koraput district, Orissa, died just after giving birth to her son. The reason is lack of access to basic health amenities. This is not an isolated case. Every second hour a woman dies due to pregnancy related complicacies in Koraput. From the time of conception, death chases women as a shadow. The story of Singari is an imposing symbol of the high maternal mortality rate that grips India. While Orissa has the highest rate of maternal mortality rate in India, Koraput has one of the highest rates in the state.