Friends Annick (37), An Sheela (42) and Sheela (41) lead different lives, but have one thing in common: all three were adopted from India. and they know what you struggle with when you don't know exactly where you come from. “Adoption is not always a fairy tale.”

Recognition and recognition

“Recognition and acknowledgment. I find that with An Sheela and Sheela and all those other adopted children from our Facebook community. For example, if I say, "I don't know exactly who I am," they know exactly what I mean by that. It is something that unites us. What problems do you face if you don't know who your biological parents are? How does it feel when the start of your life is unclear and what you know about it may be based on lies? What do you struggle with? These are things that we discuss when we see each other during meeting days.” Annick is speaking. In 2008, she was only fifteen when she wanted to meet other adopted children. Together with her mother, she founded the Facebook group Adoption Link, for children adopted from India and their parents. Initially a friendly group that exchanged messages and saw each other occasionally, years later it became a more serious community. On which members post messages and photos, but which also organizes and undertakes all sorts of things.
The club received more and more members from the Netherlands and Belgium. At a certain point, Annick was no longer able to manage everything on her own. In 2017 she asked An Sheela to help, and a year later Sheela too. The three of them are trying to take the Facebook group to an even higher level. Together they organize meeting days and information evenings about DNA tests, for example. The three also fight against illegal adoption in their home country Belgium. Even though their adoption stories are completely different, the trio feels connected to each other and to the members of their community.
Annick: “In the fourteen years that I have been working on this, the adopted children have grown up. Many have started families or have now made a roots trip to India. Sometimes they find what they are looking for, but often it is impossible. India is a very large country and the government discourages adopted children from searching for their biological parents. It is simply not done. The moral is: let the past be.”

Terminally ill

“I was four and a half years old when I came here from India. I had a fantastic childhood, I was able to study and was given all kinds of opportunities to develop myself. But I also wondered where I came from, who my parents were. My mother's name was known, I knew nothing about my father. About five years ago I had my DNA registered with an international DNA bank. I was lucky enough to find a brother and an uncle that way. Through them I found out that my father was still alive. I was pregnant with my son at the time, he is now almost four years old.
My father turned out to be terminally ill, he suffered from a muscle disease. If I wanted to see him again, I had to hurry. I traveled to India and visited him. He had a baby picture of me in his wallet, all crumpled up, but still. That little detail touched me: for me it was a sign that I belonged to him. I also recognized something of myself in him. My father was emotional, he felt guilty about how things turned out in the past. He couldn't take care of me. On the other hand, he was also down to earth: things go the way they go and you can't change the past. He didn't want to talk about my biological mother.
Meeting my father was nice. Searching for someone for thirty years and seeing him just before his death is a gift. He was able to answer many of my questions, although the reunion also raised new questions. Is the muscular disease he suffered from hereditary? What was the relationship like between him and my mother? The latter in particular is a matter of guesswork. But I can't complain. I realize very well that I know more than most of us. An Sheela and Sheela, for example, both have no concrete connection with their biological parents.”

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) More girls are abandoned or surrendered in the country, leading to the rise in their adoptions as against male ones, and there is no such trend of them being preferred, child rights activists said.
     According to the recent affidavit filed by the director of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) in the Supreme Court, a total of 15,536 children and youth of both genders up to the age of 18 years were adopted in 11 states between 2021 and 2023 under the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act (HAMA).
     The parents adopted 9,474 girls in comparison to 6,012 boys during this period, indicating a rise in the number of adoptions for girls.
     The CARA is a statutory body of the Union ministry of women and child development and works as the nodal agency for the adoption of children in the country. It is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.
     There is no such trend but more girls are abandoned so that is why availability is high for adoption, the experts told PTI.
     Availability of more girl children results in their more adoption, said Bharti Ali, co-founder and the executive director of HAQ: Centre for Child Rights.
     “This (rise) may be because there are more girls available, more daughters are dumped,” she said.
     Child rights activist Enakshi Ganguly concurred with Ali’s views and said, “That's because more girls are abandoned or surrendered and, hence, more (are) available for adoption.”
     The CARA, in its affidavit, gave details of the children falling under five categories -- orphan, abandoned, surrendered, unfit parents and non-visitation -- who are available for adoptions in the country, according to the data provided by certain states.
     A total number of 20,673 children (under the age group of 7-11 years and 12-18 years) have been identified so far in the states and Union Territories (UTs) during an identification drive comprising the five categories, it said.
     Ten states and UTs -- Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Manipur -- have not provided the data on total adoptions taken place during the period.
     In Punjab, a total of 7,496 adoptions were registered under the HAMA. Out of them, 4,966 were girls and 2,530 were boys.
     In Telangana, the couples preferred male children for adoption under the HAMA.
     The top court, on March 15, voiced displeasure over the failure to set up Specialised Adoption Agencies (SAAs) meant to streamline the adoption process of abandoned and surrendered children in 370 districts across the country. It warned the states and UTs of "coercive steps" for non-compliance of its directions.
     It lamented that out of 760 districts in the country, 370 do not have functional SAAs, a necessary legal requirement under the Juvenile Justice Act.
     The SAAs prepare the home study report of the prospective adoptive parents and after finding them eligible, refers a child declared legally free for adoption to them along with the child study report and the medical report of the child.
     The bench also asked the states and the UTs to provide the latest data by April 7 to the Union ministry of women and child development on setting up of SAAs and the number of adoptions, saying that it wanted to know whether the court orders have made any difference on the ground or not.
     Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said the states should be asked to provide the data to the Union ministry for effective implementation of the court orders meant to smoothen the adoption procedure.
     “All states and Union Territories are peremptorily directed to ensure that within every district falling within their jurisdiction, SAAs as required by the Juvenile Justice Act 2015, shall be set up by 31 January 2024,” the bench had directed on November 20 last year.
     The top court had earlier said the child adoption process in India is "very tedious" and that there is an urgent need for the procedure to be streamlined.
     The apex court was hearing a PIL by "The Temple of Healing" which sought simplification of the legal process for child adoption in India, saying only 4,000 adoptions take place annually in the country.

In a rare instance, SC stepped around Muslim personal law and awarded custody of a 1 old girl to her foster parents reversing an Orissa HC ruling allowing the biological pare take back their daughter, one of the twins who was left in foster care when she was 2- months old

New Delhi: In a rare instance, SC stepped around Muslim personal law and awarded custody of a 14-year-old girl to her foster parents reversing an Orissa HC ruling allowing the biological parents to take back their daughter, one of the twins who was left in foster care when she was 2-3 months old.

A bench of Justices C T Ravikumar and Rajesh Bindal interacted with the girl, who categorically stated that she was happy with the foster parents with whom she had lived for a decade and half and concluded that in the best interest and welfare of the child, her custody with foster parents should not be disturbed.

Twin daughters were born at Ranchi, where their maternal grandmother resided, to Rourkela-based biological parents in March 2010. As the parents were unable to take care of twins, one was left with the mother’s unmarried sister Shazia Aman Khan when the child was 2-3 months old. Since then, she had lived with her aunt, who later got married and had two children.

Before bringing home daughter Autumn as a newborn in October 2014, adoptive mom Jessica had no clue about black hair care. 

She’s not alone: The rise of transracial parenting, meaning a child of one racial or ethnic group is placed with adoptive parents of a different racial makeup, has exposed an unfortunate knowledge gap that experts say can be emotionally detrimental to the children.

Jessica and her husband had read all the books on adoption, gone through intense home-study visits and sat for countless pre-parenting interviews. 

But, still, the brunette of northern European descent was totally unhip to the do’s and don’ts of nurturing the tremendous thickness of the tot’s tuft. 

“By the time she turned age 1, I knew I needed help,” Jessica, 53, a sales executive from northern New Jersey, told The Post.

What you need to know:

• Justice John Eudes Keitirima of the Family Division in Makindye said the official fees for filing an adoption case in the court is Shs6,000 but many people engage lawyers to help them in the entire process.

Meet Aria Krishnamurti, a woman whose life story embodies resilience, curiosity, and compassion. From the moment she learned of her adoption at age 10, Aria embarked on a quest to uncover her roots.

Meet Aria Krishnamurti, a woman whose life story embodies resilience, curiosity, and compassion. From the moment she learned of her adoption at age 10, Aria embarked on a quest to uncover her roots, driven by a deep-seated desire to understand her past. Talking to SheThePeople, Aria Krishnamurti shared how, through this experience, she found closure and a renewed sense of purpose, dedicating herself to supporting others in need.

Today, she serves as a beacon of hope, using her platform to advocate for mental health, fashion, and lifestyle while inspiring others to embrace their own journeys of self-discovery and compassion. Here's  her story in her own words.

From Finding Roots To Spreading Love In Orphanage

"I was 10 when my parents told me that I was adopted. My birth mother died after I was born, and nobody knew who my father was. Initially, I took this information lightly, even joking with my sister, 'You came from mom's belly, but I came from her heart, so they love me more!'



As I grew older, I became curious about my biological parents. I wanted to know everything about them. Why did they leave me? My parents were more than willing to help me discover my roots. I discovered that after my mother died, the hospital wrapped me in a cloth and placed me outside a police station until someone took me to an orphanage. My mother used to volunteer there and adopted me when I was just one month old. I am so grateful that she did. But with passing years, my frustration built up, and I would vent in various ways because I was angry about not knowing where I was from. One day, I decided to go and look for the orphanage to see if it was still open. I took my househelp, didn't inform my parents, and went to the police station. None of the former police worked anymore, and they refused to help look for such insignificant information. So I decided to search for the orphanage myself. After searching, I found it.



Everything seemed eerily familiar as soon as I entered: I was waiting at the reception when an elderly lady entered. I showed her some of my old images, and she instantly recognised me. She'd brought me there as a baby. I couldn't believe it—we hugged passionately, and there was crying and an instant connection between us. She asked me about my current life situation as well as what I was doing.



That day, my life changed dramatically. It felt like I was in a Karan Johar movie. I returned home, confessed everything to my mother, and started crying. My prolonged search for my biological parents stopped, as did my self-pity and need for approval. Today, I am 30 years old, and I've been visiting the orphanage on a regular basis for the past five years.



Whenever I see a child being admitted to the orphanage, I just wish they find a kind and loving family just like mine and get to live a life full of joy and love."

Meet Aria Krishnamurti, a woman whose life story embodies resilience, curiosity, and compassion. From the moment she learned of her adoption at age 10, Aria embarked on a quest to uncover her roots.

Meet Aria Krishnamurti, a woman whose life story embodies resilience, curiosity, and compassion. From the moment she learned of her adoption at age 10, Aria embarked on a quest to uncover her roots, driven by a deep-seated desire to understand her past. Talking to SheThePeople, Aria Krishnamurti shared how, through this experience, she found closure and a renewed sense of purpose, dedicating herself to supporting others in need.

Today, she serves as a beacon of hope, using her platform to advocate for mental health, fashion, and lifestyle while inspiring others to embrace their own journeys of self-discovery and compassion. Here's  her story in her own words.

From Finding Roots To Spreading Love In Orphanage

"I was 10 when my parents told me that I was adopted. My birth mother died after I was born, and nobody knew who my father was. Initially, I took this information lightly, even joking with my sister, 'You came from mom's belly, but I came from her heart, so they love me more!'



As I grew older, I became curious about my biological parents. I wanted to know everything about them. Why did they leave me? My parents were more than willing to help me discover my roots. I discovered that after my mother died, the hospital wrapped me in a cloth and placed me outside a police station until someone took me to an orphanage. My mother used to volunteer there and adopted me when I was just one month old. I am so grateful that she did. But with passing years, my frustration built up, and I would vent in various ways because I was angry about not knowing where I was from. One day, I decided to go and look for the orphanage to see if it was still open. I took my househelp, didn't inform my parents, and went to the police station. None of the former police worked anymore, and they refused to help look for such insignificant information. So I decided to search for the orphanage myself. After searching, I found it.



Everything seemed eerily familiar as soon as I entered: I was waiting at the reception when an elderly lady entered. I showed her some of my old images, and she instantly recognised me. She'd brought me there as a baby. I couldn't believe it—we hugged passionately, and there was crying and an instant connection between us. She asked me about my current life situation as well as what I was doing.



That day, my life changed dramatically. It felt like I was in a Karan Johar movie. I returned home, confessed everything to my mother, and started crying. My prolonged search for my biological parents stopped, as did my self-pity and need for approval. Today, I am 30 years old, and I've been visiting the orphanage on a regular basis for the past five years.



Whenever I see a child being admitted to the orphanage, I just wish they find a kind and loving family just like mine and get to live a life full of joy and love."

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

Herontwerp stelsel
interlandelijke adoptie
Verkenning publiekrechtelijk stelsel

While the CID claims it is still investigating matters, affected families hold on to hope and several of the accused – said to have political connections – are out on bail.

Jalpaiguri: It has been over eight years since Kajal Basfor last saw her son, Ganesh. In 2016, Ganesh ran away after facing his mother’s scolding and a beating. As per the Child Helpline record, he was found at New Jalpaiguri Station in North Bengal, following which the police took him to a temporary shelter.

Kajal came to Jalpaiguri hoping for a reunion, but was instead locked up at a shelter home called Ashraya. Her three-year-old daughter Dipali was forcefully taken away to another shelter home, Bimala Shishu Griha. While Kajal was released after a few days, Dipali was held captive at the home.

Seeking help, Kajal and her husband approached the Jalpaiguri Child Welfare Centre and the district collector. The Child Welfare Centre clarified that two members of the Child Welfare Committee, seeing Kajal’s emotional state, deemed her unfit to raise a child, leading to their separation.

Kajal finally got to reunite with her daughter after a few months, but the search for Ganesh is still on. “They returned my daughter as she looks a lot like me. I heard that my son is living at a home, but I am yet to meet him,” said Kajal, who lives in Birpara, around 63 km from Jalpaiguri town in West Bengal.