Digging for roots

Digging for roots
Saturday, March 18, 2006 03:25:42 pm

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Looking into the past
Arun Dohle, a German citizen, is not here only to get to know his birth
country better. He is in India to find his biological mother.

Thirty three years ago, Arun was adopted by a German couple. But life,
without knowing about his real parents, has never been complete. The
orphanage in Pune from where Arun was adopted first told him they have no
records and then they plainly declined to give the details. But his
search, that started five years ago still goes on with no result till now.


Arun Dohle says, "First thing is that the adopted child should not search.
But we are not children, we are adults. Then the agency says that the
mother was unwed and she dumped you and does not want to see you. But this
is a vital human right."

Finding the biological parent is a tough task in India. This in spite of a
Supreme Court judgement in 1987 that clearly says that once the adoptee
child attains age of maturity, there is no serious objection in giving
details about the biological parents."

Similarly for Maria Chaya, the hunt for her biological mother has been
long and traumatic. When she was just four, Maria was adopted by a German
couple, but she was convinced she was kidnapped and then sold to foster
parents.

Maria Chaya, another adoptee, says, "I was treated very well. My mother
loved me very much. I always had enough to eat. I find it difficult to
believe that she gave me up for adoption. I tried to find out whether this
was true or not. But the nuns refused to let me see my records."

With so many stumbling blocks, more than 40 Indian adoptee children from
all over the world have come together in an e-forum. Indian Roots aims to
help one another and to bring more into the fold. Arun and Chaya are also
battling for their right to know who their parents are, in Indian courts.

The reasons that must have triggered each one of them to search for their
biological parents may be different, but the sentiment is the same, a
strong sense of being incomplete. But when it comes to revealing the
biological parent, the Indian system has grey areas. People like Arun are
however ready to fight the system.




(By Beverly White)







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