While everyone was celebrating the arrival of 2016 with parties and fireworks, 28-year-old Aditya Tiwari of Indore had different reasons altogether for being on the seventh sky. For Aditya, 2016 marked the end of a more than a year long battle of adopting a toddler who’s suffering from Down’s syndrome.
Times of India reports that it was probably the first time in the country that a single parent at such young age had adopted a special child.
Aditya’s battle to adopt one-and-a-half-year old Binney started in September 2014. But the norms put up by government did not allow single parents below 30 to adopt. However, the 28-year-old, who works for an MNC in Pune, heaved a sigh of relief when the age for adoption was brought down to 25 in August last year.
Even then, Matrachhaya, a shelter for abandoned and homeless kids and where Binney was kept, didn’t cooperate initially, Aditya alleged.
Responding to Aditya’s comments, Matrachhaya officials refuted any delay in the process and said everything was being done according to proper procedure and system.
Aditya ultimately got the possession of the child five months after change in adoption norms.
Beaming with joy after being handed over the child at Matrachhaya on Friday afternoon, Aditya told TOI, “We have named him Avnish Tiwari. He will now stay with me in my Pune home.”
Reportedly, Union women and child development (WCD) minister Maneka Gandhi had also instructed officials to hand over the child to Aditya within a week, when she had visited Matrachhaya in August last year.
Feature image source: Representational Image/PTI
