World · World News Bureau
Childhood friends discover they are biological sisters through DNA test
Two women adopted from Mumbai orphanages in the 1980s and raised together in the Netherlands have learned they are biological sisters after decades of friendship. The discovery came through a DNA test that revealed their family connection.
LSN World News ·
Meena Geltink and Minal Tijssen grew up as best friends in the Netherlands after being adopted separately from orphanages in Mumbai during the 1980s. The two women, who had no knowledge of any biological relationship, maintained their close bond throughout their lives.
Their remarkable family connection came to light when one of them took a DNA test, which revealed genetic markers indicating they were biological sisters. The discovery transformed their understanding of their decades-long friendship and their shared origins in India.
Adoption from South Asian orphanages was relatively common for Dutch families during the 1980s, though records from that era were often incomplete or unreliable. The case highlights how modern genetic testing has enabled adoptees to uncover biological family connections that might otherwise have remained unknown.
Both women have continued to reside in the Netherlands, where they were raised. Their story underscores the emotional and personal dimensions of international adoption, and how unexpected discoveries can reshape lifelong relationships.