American couple adopts blind girl from Indore orphanage

Indore: A visually impaired girl in Indore was adopted by an American couple under Juvenile Justice Act. The adoption process was facilitated by Sanjeevani Seva Sangam institution, the woman and child development officials said. The girl, completely blind, received her passport and left for the US with her new family on Thursday, WCD district programme officer Ramniwas Budholiya said.

“A visually-impaired girl with special needs, who was residing in an institution in Indore, has found a loving embrace in the arms of her American couple that has adopted her,” he said adding that the couple, living in the United States, had applied for adoption under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 and its 2021 amendment act.

“The Sanjeevani Seva Sangam institution in Indore facilitated the inter-country adoption of the girl, who is completely blind,” he said, adding that the girl has been handed over to the couple in accordance with the adoption order issued by the Indore Collector on February 1, 2024. Following the order, the institution assisted in obtaining the girl's birth certificate from the Municipal Corporation to apply for her passport.

“After receiving the passport, the parents arrived at the institution on March 13, 2024, to take the girl with them to the US,” he said, adding that he along with Asha Singh, the director of Sanjeevani Seva Sangam were present to witness the emotional reunion between the happy family and 2.5-years-old girl, who was found abandoned in other district before she was provided shelter and complete care in the Indore-based hostel. The couple expressed immense joy, and the girl seemed happy to be with them, the senior WCD official said, adding that the couple had applied through Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), where details including physical and mental health of all the legal-free children, who can be adopted, are available.

“The US couple, who already have three children, are assured of providing best care to the girl while we also have a mechanism for regular monitoring of the children, who are adopted through CARA,” he said. TNN