My Grandfather and Grandmother by Deepa G Gopal

Unlike my older brothers and cousins, I never had the opportunity to know my grandpa well. I remember him to be a kind and gentle man.

When I was two, I could not pronounce the words, Cinderella and Two Bad Step Sisters in the fairy tale Cinderella. I instead pronounced them as Cindida and Two Bad Teps. He used these words, when talking about the story,with me.

When there were problems in getting me out of the adoption home before my adoption, my grandfather took my father, to see his old friend, Mr Govind Narain, who was then Governor of Karnataka, to ask for his help. My father tells me that Mr Narain helped them get me home,with them, almost immediately.

Before the adoption was complete, my parents had to go to court which took four months. In the meanwhile, my grandparents took care of me in India. I have seen pictures of my first birthday celebrated by my grandparents where they invited seventy five people in Madras.

I wish I was old enough to have known them really well, but I feel fortunate that they knew me quite well, as they took care of me. for four months, the way parents would when I was little. I am really proud to have been their grand daughter.