Indore: Not aware of her actual birth date, birthday of Geeta, the speech and hearing impaired girl, was celebrated in Indore on Wednesday, on the day she was brought back to India a year ago, several years after accidentally crossing over to Pakistan.
“As nobody knows her actual birth date, we celebrated it today (Wednesday), the date on which she returned to India,” said Monika Punjabi Verma, director of institute for hearing and speech impaired here where Geeta is living since her return.
Geeta was brought back to India on October 26, 2015. She cut the cake as 50 other hearing and speech impaired children joined her in the celebration.
Three days ago, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had met Geeta at a hotel here ahead of Diwali.
Ms Swaraj had hinted that Geeta would be helped in travel to search for her parents to the places indicated by her through sign language.
Similar plan earlier in June did not materialise, possibly due to the rainy season.
Several couples have come forward claiming to be Geeta’s parents after her return, but she did not recognise any of them, nor could they substantiate their claims.
Geeta was seven or eight-year-old when she was found sitting alone in the Samjhauta Express at Lahore by Pakistan Rangers 15 years ago. She was then adopted by the renowned philanthropist Bilquis Edhi.
Her story gained attention after the release of Salman Khan-starrer “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”, in which the lead character played by Khan reunites a Pakistani girl with her mother.
PTI