Seeking Your Help: A Historical Record of IMH (1970–2002)
Dear friends,
I have been working to write a complete history of the International Mission of Hope (IMH). It would be an immeasurable gift to our community if you could help review this timeline I’ve put together and add anything you may recall.
In order to do this effectively and efficiently, I’ve listed a few initial questions below. Could you please respond via email to these specific bullet points? If you don’t have information on a particular point, please simply write “no information.”
Initial Questions for Review
Leadership: Aside from Cherie Clark and Sunil Prakash, who else was involved in "running" IMH?
Chennai Branch: Was there an IMH location in Chennai? If so, who ran it, when was it active, and where was it located?
Partnerships: Which nursing homes or hospitals did IMH receive babies from? Were there any official (on paper) agreements in place?
Global Reach: Which countries did children go to? (e.g., US, UK, Denmark, Switzerland, etc.)
Closure: Why did IMH close and exactly when? (This information is very important for many to know.)
Programs: What specific programs did IMH run at various times? (e.g., home for unwed mothers, home for older boys, care for premature babies, community center?)
Known Names: How were the following people related to IMH? Mampta Gupta. Debesh Chaudhury. Sabani Basu. Dr Rajat Sen.
Additional Details: Please provide any other details or corrections I may be missing.
International Mission of Hope (IMH): A Historical Record (1970–2002)
This is a live and unfolding document. Any input, corrections, or adjustments are welcomed as we continue to refine this record for the adoptee community.
Note: Please share this with anyone in Calcutta/Kolkata from the 1970–2002 era who might have information on this Child Care Institution (CCI).
1970s: The Foundations
1970–1975: Cherie Clark (US citizen) founds IMH and is active in Vietnam; she departs following the end of the conflict. She eventually marries Sunil Prakash, who becomes a major part of running IMH.
September 1975: Clark meets Mother Teresa in India.
November 1977: Clark and her children relocate to India (Delhi, then Mussoorie, then Kolkata on New Year’s Eve).
January 1978: Received a seed donation from Jodi Darragh to begin operations.
March 1978: IMH opens at 100 1/1 Alipore Road, Calcutta.
Mid-1978: IMH moves from New Alipore to Lake Gardens, operating a clinic for vaccinations and food distribution.
1980–1983: Peak Activity, Controversy, and Relocation
1980–1981: Operations move briefly to Tollygunge. Programs include medical care for nearby slum areas and adoption processing for premature infants.
August 22, 1982: The London Daily Mail alleges IMH was "selling Calcutta slum babies." This triggers international outrage and an Indian government investigation.
August 25–30, 1982: Federal investigation begins; Clark and Prakash defend fees as costs for medical care and legal processing.
1982/1983: IMH moves to its final location: 2 Nimak Mahal Road, Kolkata 700 043.
March 16, 1983: Police serve Clark with a formal expulsion order after the Ministry of Home Affairs refuses to renew her visa. While adoptions were found legal, her presence was deemed "undesirable."
Departure: Clark remains a main overseer of the operation until at least 1991.
1984–2002: Legal Reform and Final Chapters
February 1984: Laxmi Kant Pandey vs. Union of India. The Supreme Court issues a landmark judgment regulating international adoptions, citing the IMH controversy as a catalyst.
1994–2002: Sunil Prakash remains in charge through the end of operations.
June 1990: Establishment of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).
2002: IMH officially closes. The building at 2 Nimak Mahal Road remains vacant for a period.
2002 Onwards: Adoptees begin returning to Kolkata as adults to seek their origin stories.
Note on Records:
Birth registers and papers remained in the building until the early 2000s (recalled by a local guide, Nitin) but disappeared after the building was converted into a nursing training college.
Thank you so so much for your help with this!
Best,
Ian