Indian Born German Reaches Mangalore in Search of her Roots

Mangalore, Feb 12 2013

Maria Chaya Schupp, who was given for adoption to a German couple in 1981 has

returned to Mangalore to track down her biological

mother. With the adoption agency, Nirmala Social Welfare Centre at Ullal

rejecting her request to access records on her mother, a dejected Maria

sought the help of the media on Saturday.

In 1981 when Chaya was six she was given in adoption to a Germany-based

couple Wolfgang Schupp and Ingid Schupp through a Carla Wiedeking who ran an

adoption agency Pro Infante in Germany.

Chaya, now aged 30 is on a mission to trace her mother. "Non-availability of

a written consent from mother and missing deed of relinquishment leads to

the conclusion that I have been kidnapped from my mother," Chaya accused,

who has memories of living together near Town Hall while her single mother

worked in a 'Dhanda business'.

"I remember my mother treating me well in spite of difficult circumstances

and have good reasons to believe that she wanted a good education and future

for me," Chaya asserts. However, I want to ask her why she gave me in the

hands of the Nirmala Cente," said Chaya who is now employed as a social

worker in Germany and has been camping in the city since January trying to

unearth information about her mother from different quarters.

Chaya along with her friend Arun Dhole met the Ullal police, who also failed

to make available the records from Nirmala Social Welfare Centre.

Desperately searching for her mother, Chaya has also filed a complaint with

the Child Welfare Committee alleging that the centre's refusal to show her

records aroused suspicion that she may have been kidnapped.

"We will show records only on directions of court, said Nirmala Social

Welfare Centre secretary Sister Lucy D'Souza. Further, K P Vasudeva Rao of

the District Adoptive Parents Association has also advised them to place a

writ petition in the High Court as the adoption agency is not co-operative.

"I don't know what I will do after I meet my mother, but first thing is I

want to meet her". Chaya believes that her mother is still alive as she

recalls that her 'amma' may have been 20-25 when she last saw her.

Frustrated over the attitude of centre authorities, she has alleged that

they (Nirmala Social Service Centre) may have been indulged in child

trafficking.

Chaya who expressed that she may have to face many more hurdles until she

finally finds her way to her mother, is determined to keep the search

progressing.