Adoptive parents confront dark truths about children’s origins in Aarhus

Upon receiving the first photos from the adoption agency, Jørgen Kristiansen and Annette Blicher Hansen instantly felt like parents. The images featured a smiling Indian sibling pair, Kala and Kumar, dressed smartly and adorned with makeup. “At first glance, you become a father,” Jørgen recalled. The children arrived in Denmark from India in March 1980, bringing joyful anticipation to their new home in Aarhus.

For decades, Jørgen and Annette believed they had adopted vulnerable orphaned children in need of a fresh start. However, the reality drastically differed. A photo taken before their departure showed the siblings holding name tags outside the orphanage they came from, where they had lived prior to the adoption.

As the children grew up, their biological mother, Kamala, fought tirelessly in India to regain custody of her children, whom she claimed were adopted without her consent. This harrowing story is explored in DR’s documentary series, “The Great Adoption Theft.” Research indicates that at least 13 Indian children were wrongfully taken from their biological parents and adopted by Danish couples between 1978 and 1982.

Kamala believed she was temporarily placing her children in the orphanage for their education. She was coerced into signing a blank document for financial aid that was later used to facilitate their adoption. After suffering immense grief over the loss of her children, she even attempted suicide.

The Danish adoptive mother expressed frustration at being unwittingly involved in her children’s biological mother’s plight, labeling the situation as a severe form of racism. The Indian orphanage, once operated by Pastor George, is now closed, and the biological mother’s accusations remain unaddressed by his heirs.