- Mina Geltink and Minal Teissen, both born in India in the early 1980s, discovered through a DNA test that they are biological sisters after being friends for many years.
- Both women were adopted within several months of their birth by different Dutch couples from two different orphanages in Mumbai.
- They first met in their early teens at an event organized by the adoption agency used by their parents.
- After meeting, they exchanged phone numbers and addresses and corresponded for many years, often calling each other sisters.
- About 15 years ago, they lost contact when Minal moved to France and Mina was busy with her family.
- In 2017, Mina took a DNA test but found no matches at the time.
- In April, Minal took a DNA test while visiting her parents in the Netherlands.
- On May 20, Minal sent Mina a Facebook message with a screenshot of the result, confirming a full match.
- The result confirmed that the women share the same biological mother and father.
- In August, they met for the first time after discovering their kinship, which was an emotional reunion.
- Since then, the sisters have spoken every other day and have met each other's families.
- They plan to travel to India together and walk through the streets of Mumbai.
Two women born in India, adopted by different Dutch families, have discovered they are biological sisters after decades of friendship. Mina Geltink, 43, and Minal Teissen, 44, were both adopted from Mumbai orphanages shortly after birth in the early 1980s.1412
The two first met as teenagers at an event organized by their adoption agency, where friends noted their striking resemblance. “I could not stop looking at Minal,” Mina recalled, recognizing similarities in their features and laughter.3
For years, they maintained a close friendship, often referring to each other as sisters, despite losing contact about 15 years ago when Minal moved to France.5
In 2017, Mina took a DNA test but found no matches. However, in April 2023, Minal decided to take a test while visiting her parents in the Netherlands. On May 20, she messaged Mina with a screenshot of her results, revealing a complete genetic match.678
Mina expressed her emotional reaction: “I cried,” and added, “We were friends before we were sisters. We were sisters all along, but we didn’t know it.” The two women met for the first time after discovering their kinship in August, describing the encounter as a “homecoming.” They now speak daily and plan to travel to India together to explore their roots.10
Mina, a mother of three, noted that both women had felt a void in their lives, which they now believe has been filled by their newfound connection.
“The women, born in India in the early 1980s, were adopted by different Dutch couples and first met at an adoption agency event. They exchanged letters for years, calling each other 'sister,' and even shared a favorite band, the Backstreet Boys.”
voxnews.al
