Just 11 days after she was born, Manji Yamada is at the centre of a legal debate involving surrogacy.

Manji is the daughter of a Japanese couple, Dr Ikufumi Yamada, 45, and Yuki Yamada, 41, delivered by a surrogate mother in Gujarat. Since her parents are now divorced, the father is not able to take immediate custody of her as Indian laws make it almost impossible for single men of foreign origin to adopt children.

Since India does not have surrogacy laws yet, adoption is the only route through which parents can take custody of surrogate babies.

Born in Gujarat, Manji was moved to Jaipur’s Arya Hospital on Sunday and is now under her grandmother’s care. Dr Sanjay Arya of the hospital said her father brought her to Jaipur from after the terror strikes in Gujarat. “The baby was moved here on August 3 and is in an incubator. She was ill when she arrived but has recovered quite well. Her grandmother is taking care of her for now,” Dr Arya said.

He said Dr Yamada chose Jaipur as a long-time friend of his is a gemstone merchant from Jaipur. Dr Yamada and his mother, Amiko (70) were in Gujarat on July 25 when Manji was born. Dr Yamada left for Japan a few days later, while Amiko stayed behind to take care of Manji.

“She does not speak English and we do not understand a word of what she says and vice versa. A friend of the family visits in the morning and acts as a translator,” Dr Arya said.

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