Baby ‘brought family closer’ ((Names have been changed)

Nina Martyris | TNN

Mumbai: On the warm summer evening of April 23, 2007, Gordon and Florence D’Souza drove carefully from a suburban orphanage to their flat in Mulund, with Florence cradling the newest member of the D’Souza family. They christened her Mallika, because “Mallika means princess and she is the princess in our family and will always be treated like one,’’ says Florence. For the 40-year-old double-income couple—Gordon works on the rigs, Florence is a web master—adoption was something they had always considered, and so, after trying for a few years to have their own child, it seemed the most natural thing to adopt one instead. “Initially, the other family members had some reservations,’’ says Gordon, “but once we brought her home, all that changed.’’ Florence adds happily, “Everyone, my mother-in-law, mother, sisters, brother and Gordon’s family have been extraordinarily supportive. In fact,Mallika has only brought the family closer.’’

   How does adoption work for a Catholic couple given that the law bestows non-Hindu couples with only guardianship rights? “For the first two years we are guardians,’’ explains Gordon. “But after two years the court gives us parenthood rights.’’ And how did they find Mallika? Someone in Gordon’s family had adopted from the same institution, so the couple visited it to see for themselves. “The Sister made us sit outside while she dressed up the baby. When she brought her out, the baby straightaway reached for Gordon,’’ says Florence. “We both just started to cry. The Sister gave us time to compose ourselves and told the baby, ‘Your Mamma and Dadda are crying tears of joy.’ But in fact we were crying because how could anyone have the heart to abandon such a gentle, mild baby?’’ The finest footnote to this story is that, inspired by this adoption, four other couples who know the D’Souzas have adopted. 
One couple in the same housing colony adopted three children from the same orphanage. They already have two of their own, but the wife previously had three miscarriages. So when three siblings, whose parents had died, came up for adoption, the couple brought them home. 

HOUSE RULES

The age difference between the child and adoptive parents should not be more than 45

For NRIs: No relatives can be adopted—only abandoned children

No adoptive parent can be over 55 years

India does not allow gays or lesbians to adopt

Couples with up to three children can adopt

Families may choose the sex of the first child. Two adopted children can’t be of the same sex

Couples must be married for at least five years. One divorce each is allowed The biological mother has two months after giving up the child to reclaim him/her Courts have two months to approve the adoption 
 
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