“Where would we be, without our praying mothers?”
The strength of a mother is second to none! Every Mother’s Day, we celebrate the women who gave us birth–thanking them for all that they unconditionally do for us. Most of us will admit, that no matter how many times we say “Thank you” and “I love you”, it’s never enough to justify how grateful we are to have them in our lives. But for what it’s worth, this year too we are going to follow suit. However, with a twist.
On the occasion of Mother’s Day 2019, we at iDiva decided to switch things up a little and shed light on those women who have embraced motherhood by adopting a baby. You see, when a woman decides to adopt, she not only satiates her own motherly instincts–but also gives a child a chance at experiencing the kind of unchallenged love that only a mother can provide. Having said that, we cannot ignore the fact that in India, there’s a social stigma attached to adopting a child. It traces back to the age-old, regressive thinking that our children need to be of our own bloodline. So, it’s no wonder then that adoption rates in India rarely witness an incline.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), India has 29.6 million orphaned and abandoned children, and in all probability, this is an underreported number. Out of these, only 4,70,000 kids are under institutionalised care–something that should make us, as privileged individuals, feel some sense of worry on a human level. Today, we’d like to give those women in our country a special shout-out who chose to go against the tide and change the game.
Here are three such women who shared their stories of being proud mothers to babies they gave a new life to.
Kavita Baluni, the first and only woman in India to adopt a baby girl with Down syndrome
“I am Kavita, 29, married to Himanshu Kaktwan and proud mother to baby Veda, who is three-years-old. My husband and I are the first and only couple to adopt a baby with Down syndrome in India. Adopting a girl child was always on my mind, but I never found the courage to discuss it with anyone. I could never understand the concept of having biological kids when there are so many who deserve to have a family but don’t. I shared this thought with my husband during our courtship period, and thankfully he agreed. Soon, we decided to have a child through adoption. Adopting a special child comes with its own heartache and struggle, and hence, it was certainly tough to convince our families. However, after doing some research, we couldn’t seem to come up with a reason not to. Soon, we registered ourselves and started looking through the disability section instead of waiting for referrals, as there is no waiting time for kids with special needs. That’s where I found my 15-month-old Veda. Her pictures made me cry, and I just knew she was the one. I still remember the 20th of May 2017… she was so tiny with the most gorgeous smile and beautiful eyes! Celebrating her differences is the beauty of being a mother to her. For me, adoption is not about finding children for families, it’s about finding families for children.”
Raveena Tandon, mother to two beautiful girls, Chaya and Pooja
“I decided to adopt for one reason specifically–because I felt that these two girls needed family and support. Adopting children as an unmarried Indian woman was a big step back then. It was hard, but I’d like to hope society is changing. A woman does not have to be married to want a child. I have always wanted to be a mother. I vividly remember how they entered my life. Pooja was 11 and Chaya was eight. I was a young, wannabe mother–trying to adapt to the new life. Pooja, being a rebellious one, taught me patience and tolerance. I think her fighter/survivor instinct channelized into her being a suave successful entrepreneur with leadership qualities. Chaya was quite vulnerable but has gradually moulded herself into a confident young girl. Both are married now, handling their lives, marriage, family, and work so beautifully. I feel a sense of pride when I see both my girls living their lives so sensibly, with evolved maturity. My daughters and I are the best of friends, and I strongly advocate adoption because I believe that making someone a part of your life through this method provides a deeper sense of gratification.”
Sunny Leone, mother to the adorable Nisha Kaur Weber
Sunny adopted baby Nisha in July 2017. Sharing her emotions with a leading daily, she said: “Nisha is the best gift I could ask for. She is so beautiful and amazing! From being in a foster home to coming home with us, watching her adjust to her new life has been so amazing. It is just that God brings people in your life, when it is the right time. I look forward to seeing her when she wakes up in the morning and I’m the last person to see her when she goes to bed. I love feeding and playing with her. Daniel and I are truly hands-on parents. We just want to do everything because she lost that time and we want to make up for it. She needs to know that we are her parents now and we are going to love and look out for her, forever.”
