TN couple adopts 13-yr-old orphaned Gajapati girl

Berhampur: A 13-year-old orphaned girl from Gajapati district has found a new family in Tamil Nadu, two years after being rescued from Rayagada block following the death of her parents.In a ceremony held on Monday evening, Gajapati collector Bijay Kumar Das officially handed over the Class VIII student to her adoptive parents from Tamil Nadu, following the completion of procedures under Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) guidelines."From today, she is our daughter," said the adoptive mother, who didn't wish to disclose her name. The couple had waited for nearly a year after applying through CARA.The teenager had been residing at a child care institute near Paralakhemundi since her rescue, where she continued her education. District child protection officer (DCPO) Arun Kumar Tripathy, Dr Millan Adhikari, and officials from the child care home were present during the ceremony.According to Tripathy, this was the 62nd successful adoption from Gajapati district since the establishment of a specialised agency in 2018. These adoptions included those within India and internationally.CARA, which oversees the adoption process, is an autonomous and statutory body under the ministry of women and child development.Collector Das expressed his best wishes for the girl's future with her new family.