Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), under the Maneka Gandhi-led Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), claimed that since 2012, nearly 60 per cent of those adopted across the country were girl children.
CARA CEO, Col. Deepak Kumar, recognises the change as progressive and broadening of mindsets among Indian parents. Deepak said that more girls were being adopted not because more were being given away adoption, rather Indian couples ‘prefer’ adopting girl child.
“I can’t conjecture about why more girls come to CARA for adoption. But there is a clear change in people’s attitudes. We see this in the preferences that (prospective) parents give while registering,” said Kumar.
As per the reports of Indian Association for Promotion of Adoption and Child Welfare, there has been a rising graph of single women adopting children in past one year. Ever since the WCD last year had announced to give single women, who are above 40 years and financially stable, date seniority of six months once they register for adoption, 314 women out of 817, have been able to bring home a child.
The change in attitudes among the much conservative Indian society is broadly followed by the bold step taken by former many Bollywood celebrities including Actress Ravina Tondon, Salim Khan, former Miss Universe – Sushmita Sen. Bollywood actress Sushmita, who raises two adopted daughters, has quite a few times expressed her happiness over people now being open to the idea of adopting girl child.
