Now Reading: DNA test reveals adopted Indian women in Netherlands are biological sisters
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DNA test reveals adopted Indian women in Netherlands are biological sisters
DNA test reveals adopted Indian women in Netherlands are biological sisters
Meena Geltink, 43, and Minal Tijssen, 44, adopted as infants from separate Indian orphanages and raised in the Netherlands, have discovered they are biological sisters through a DNA test. The two met…
The Story in Brief
Meena Geltink, 43, and Minal Tijssen, 44, adopted as infants from separate Indian orphanages and raised in the Netherlands, have discovered they are biological sisters through a DNA test. The two met as teenagers at a gathering for adopted children in 1996, felt an instant connection, and even jokingly called each other 'sis' in letters before losing touch for 15 years.
A MyHeritage DNA test in April returned a rare 100% match, confirming they are siblings. The women, who live a short drive apart in the Netherlands, reunited on Tuesday in 's-Hertogenbosch. 'It's like a missing puzzle piece has been found,' Meena said. Minal, who lives in France, said she had no record of birth relatives and described a deep loneliness despite a loving adoptive family.
The Indian Opinion
This story is a heartwarming counterweight to the often grim narratives around adoption and orphanages in India. Some frame inter-country adoption as a loss of culture, but here the focus is on the love and care the sisters received from their Dutch families, alongside a biological bond found late in life. The real test for policy is whether India can improve domestic adoption processes so that fewer infants end up in orphanages at all, and whether the system can better preserve family records for adoptees like Meena and Minal.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
