An adopted son or daughter writes the adoptive parents as the parents in a marriage biodata, with no label. The word "adopted" does not have to appear on the page. Under Hindu law the adopted child is the child of the adoptive parents for all purposes, so the biodata is simply true as written.
What families do need is honesty before things get serious. Tell the other family in person, early, once both sides are interested.
Do You Need to Write "Adopted" on the Biodata?
No. The biodata goes to many phones, and adoption is a private family matter. Your parents are your parents.
Section 12 of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956 says an adopted child is deemed the child of the adoptive father or mother for all purposes from the date of adoption, and ties with the birth family are replaced by those in the adoptive family. Adoptions under the Juvenile Justice Act work in a similar way for families of any religion.
Some families still choose to mention it, because they are open about it at home and want only accepting families to call. That is a fine choice too. If you do, keep it to one calm line in About Me: "I was adopted as a baby and grew up in Lucknow with my parents and my sister."
When to Tell the Other Family
Before the families commit, and ideally before the roka, sagai or nichayathartham. The second or third conversation, once both sides are clearly interested, is a good time.
Finding out later, from a relative or a document, feels like something was hidden. Hearing it from the parents, early and plainly, rarely changes a good match.
Parents can say it simply: "We want you to know that Ananya came to us through adoption when she was eight months old. She is our daughter in every way."
Parents, Siblings and Family Details
Write the adoptive parents' names and occupations in the usual Father's and Mother's rows. Write siblings in the Brothers and Sisters steppers as usual, whether they are by birth or also adopted.
Do not add the birth parents' names. They do not belong on the biodata, and many adopted people do not know them.
Our guide to family details in a marriage biodata has the standard format for each row.
Gotra for an Adopted Child
In many Hindu families, an adopted child takes the gotra of the adoptive father. Write that gotra in the Gotra row, as any child of the family would.
Customs differ by community, and a few families also keep note of the birth family's gotra. If your family follows such a custom, ask your family priest which gotra to print. Our post on gotra in a marriage biodata explains where it goes.
The One Rule from the Birth Family
The same section 12 has a proviso that matters for marriage. The adopted child cannot marry anyone he or she could not have married by staying in the birth family.
In practice this matters most when the adoption happened within the extended family, which is common in India: an uncle adopting a nephew, or an aunt raising a niece. The birth family's prohibited relations and sapinda rules still apply. If the families involved might be related, check carefully. Our post on the sapinda relationship explains how close is too close.
Birth Details and the Horoscope
Date and place of birth come from the birth certificate, as for anyone. If the adoption was through an agency and the time of birth is not recorded, leave Time of Birth empty on our form. The rasi and nakshatra may still fill in from the date, while the lagna stays empty.
If no horoscope details are reliable, switch off "Include horoscope on the biodata". Do not ask an astrologer to "fix" a birth time just to fill the row. A made-up time gives a made-up chart.
Health History
Some families ask about hereditary illnesses. An adopted person may not know the birth family's medical history, and that is a fair answer. Say so honestly when asked. A basic health check-up before marriage, which many couples do anyway, covers the rest.
A Filled Sample for an Adopted Daughter
This is a made-up person. Nothing on the biodata says "adopted", because it does not need to.
| Field | Sample |
|---|---|
| This Biodata Is For | Female |
| Full Name | Ananya Srivastava |
| Date of Birth | 2 May 1998 |
| Place of Birth | Lucknow |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in |
| Education | MBA (Finance), a university in Lucknow |
| Job / Occupation | Credit analyst, a private bank, Noida |
| Father's Name | Shri Alok Srivastava, retired engineer, UP Jal Nigam |
| Mother's Name | Smt. Rekha Srivastava, school principal |
| Sisters | 1 (married) |
| Gotra | Kashyap |
| About Me | I work in credit analysis at a bank in Noida and go home to Lucknow most weekends. My parents and my elder sister are my world. I enjoy baking and Sunday treks with friends. I hope to marry a sincere, settled boy who values family as much as I do. |
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Common questions
Should an Adopted Child Mention Adoption in the Marriage Biodata?
There is no need. The adoptive parents are the legal parents. Tell the other family in person, early, once both sides are serious.
Which Father's Name Goes on an Adopted Person's Biodata?
The adoptive father's name. Under section 12 of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, the adopted child is the child of the adoptive parents for all purposes.
What Gotra Should an Adopted Child Write?
In many Hindu families, the adoptive father's gotra. Customs vary, so ask your family priest if unsure.
Can an Adopted Person Marry Someone from the Birth Family?
Not within the relations that would have been prohibited had they stayed in the birth family. Section 12 of the Act keeps that rule.
When Should We Tell the Other Family About the Adoption?
Before any engagement, in the second or third conversation once both families are keen. Parents telling it simply works best.
Sources
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