Darshana Gupta, single woman working as Joint Director at the Pension Department wins the legal cum social battle which previously didn’t allow her to adopt a girl child.

Living in one of the government quarters at Pratapnagar, her affection towards children was always visible through 3 small schools that she had opened to teach under privileged kids. After hiring a teacher for the kids, she created an amiable atmosphere for the kids to learn.

The resentment of the kids’ parents may have stopped her from teaching them for long however; her hand always opened to provide food, clothes and gifts to those kids.

Her usual life took a turn when she decided to adopt a girl child. Tripura, now 10 year old studying in 4^th standard came in her life. After a few years, the need to have another child in her small family emerged and so, 10 months back from now, she adopted another beautiful 16 months old Krishna Priya Bansuri.

A hurdle soon came in the happy life when Darshana under legal procedure approached court regarding adoption formality. Usually, the institute that gives a baby for adoption has to intimate the court for the same. In this case, she herself approached the court only to find that the litigation for adoption had been rejected by the DJ court.

Her determination didn’t shake and she appealed at the Jodhpur High Court in January 2015. To everyone’s surprise, the court considered her case as a ‘Unique Battle’ and finally decided to hand over Krishna in hands of Darshana, legally.

According to the court, where cases of female feticide are rampant in the society, Darshana is a brave woman who has come upfront to save girls and give them life that they deserve. The final decision was passed on 9^th February.

The effect of Media covering her story brought a change in her home, where she was skeptical in proclaiming to her elder daughter that she is adopted. When Tripura turned 3, she started questioning about her father as most kids do. A long silence from Tripura after unanswered questions perturbed Darshana who finally broke the ice.

She told Tripura that she is adopted and to her surprise, she accepted the truth with love and prompted Darshana to continue telling her story to the world. Today, Darshana’s life story is being used as a case study and a reference to all the couples who want to adopt girl child but are challenged by the society’s depressing practices.

When asked about the challenge that is to come in future, Darshana says, “The biggest challenge is the safety of my daughters as I am a working woman and have to go outstation to attend meetings. In this case, my daughters will be unable to attend school. Besides the rise in crime is another consideration.”

“It would be really helpful if the government responses to working women including me who are in such a family situation. Women safety should be made a priority.”

A Happy woman with 2 beautiful daughters, Darshana’s father has always been the backbone in all her endeavors.