In 2010, a Spanish couple adopted Sneha and her brother from an orphanage in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, after their original mother abandoned them.
A young Spanish woman has traveled to India searching for her biological mother, who is believed to have left her and her brother two decades ago. With only a day remaining before she must return to Spain for her academic commitments, the 21-year-old is racing against time.
According to news agency, Spanish couple Gema Vidal and Juan Josh adopted Sneha and her brother Somu from an orphanage in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, their native state, in 2010.
The orphanage provided home for the siblings after their mother, Banalata Das, abandoned them in 2005.
Sneha Enrique Vidal, a researcher in children’s education, wanted to investigate her ancestry, which led her to India with little information about her past.
Sneha’s search for her biological parents.
When asked if she would blame her biological mother for abandoning her, Sneha remained silent. She was just over a year old, and her brother was just a few months old at the time.
Sneha revealed to the news agency, “My journey from Spain to Bhubaneswar is fueled by an unwavering desire to locate my biological parents, particularly my mother. I am resolute in my determination to meet her.” She also conveyed her willingness to face any challenges that may arise during this emotional pursuit.
Sneha also mentioned that her Spanish parents ensured she and her siblings were given everything they needed in life. They never felt like adoptees, as they were provided with top-notch education and the freedom to make their own life choices.
“They have given us unconditional love,” Sneha explained.
Sneha’s Spanish mother teaches yoga in Zaragoza, Spain. Gema and Sneha arrived in Bhubaneswar on December 19, last year, and have been sleeping in a hotel since then. Somu, on the other hand, was unable to attend due to prior commitments in Spain.
If they do not identify Sneha’s biological mother by Monday, they will return in March for an extended stay.
Gema mentioned, “We must head back to Spain because Sneha has enrolled in a training program that cannot be interrupted. If Banalata is not handed over to us within the next 24 hours, we will go back to Bhubaneswar in March.”
When Sneha and Somu were abandoned.
Banalata abandoned Sneha and Somu at their rented residence in Bhubaneswar’s Nayapally region in 2005, according to the report. Banalata’s husband, Santosh, worked as a cook at a private firm and had previously abandoned his family, which included his wife and four children, including Sneha and Somu.
Banalata later departed the rented property with another son and daughter, leaving behind Sneha and Somu. The house owner later alerted the authorities, and they were taken to an orphanage.
In 2010, the Spanish couple legally adopted Sneha and Somu.
Gema had earlier told Sneha and Somu about their Odisha roots and adoption.
During their frantic search in Bhubaneswar, Gema and Sneha met Sneha Sudha Mishra, a retired Rama Devi Women’s University instructor, who assisted them in determining her parents’ names. During Gema and Sneha’s first days in India, some people allegedly took advantage of them financially. In reality, Sneha’s mother wailed in front of me, pleading for aid in finding Banalata. We sought for her parents before approaching the police for assistance. Gema is a noble and affectionate woman with a thorough understanding of Indian culture and philosophy.
The report quoted Mishra as saying. Mishra admitted that Gema has difficulty communicating with locals due to language barriers, but she has been assisting the mother-daughter combo.
With Mishra’s help, Sneha and Gema met City Commissioner of Police Dev Datta Singh, who assigned the responsibility of identifying Banalata Das and Santosh Das to two officers, Anjali Chhotray and Gangadhar Pradhan.
We learned that Banalata Das and Santosh hail from the Badamba-Narsinghpur region in Cuttack district, said Inspector Anjali Chhotray, adding that both police and panchayat officials have been mobilized to trace them.
People here, especially the media and police, have helped us a lot, she said.
