Other than social barriers, often there are legal hassles to contend with. While the Juvenile Justice Act of 2000 makes adoption easier across the board, some say it is still difficult for single women due to the bias shown by some members of the judiciary. When Meenu Vadera, a 42-year-old social activist with Delhi-based Aagaz Foundation, decided to adopt six-month-old Aranya six years ago, she had to face many hassles. To begin with, a Bangalore-based NGO refused to let her adopt a girl child, as she was a single woman. When Vadera got the permission, she had to make at least four rounds of the court. “In the court, I had a nasty experience. I had to face a biased judge. Moreover, medical reports showed that I drank and smoked and I had to sign an undertaking that I would never smoke or drink again,” she recalls.

Yashashree Gurjar, 42, chief general manager of Ballarpur Industries Ltd in Pune, too faced a problem while adopting her daughter Avani in 1996. “The judge asked me how I would ever get Avani married, as she would grow up without a father. I had to convince him a lot before getting her custody,” she says.

Although Gurjar was helped by the adoption agency, she had to fight a lone battle to get her daughter who was three months old then. But, Gurjar says times are changing. “Being single is no longer a taboo. It does not matter that your child is not of your blood. It's all about nurturing the child,” she says.

... contd.