Hollywood has glamourised adoptions but in reality, while adopting a child, I think it is tough on anyone to ignore the fact that the child they are going to adopt has someone else’s genes. The most difficult question one is going to face is why did his/her real parents give him/her up? If by chance the child comes to know about his/her adoption, though adoptive parents try hard to preserve the child’s self-worth by explaining that his/her parents wanted him/her but couldn’t afford to keep him/her, it will not be enough to keep the child’s confidence. The parents and child’s life then will be full of emotional stress. I wouldn’t encourage adoptions.

— Shekhar KC

There is a huge difference, both socially and economically, between Hollywood-Bollywood stars and us. They adopt children because they

can afford to do so. In Nepal that stage is yet to arrive. If somebody can afford the sky rocketing prices, adoption would be fine. I would not adopt kids, but if I find a helpless kid in my area, I would take him/her to an orphanage.

— Aparna Singh, Samakoshi

I would not encourage adoptions. The life standard of Nepalis has not reached a level where they can give proper education and fulfil necessities of an adopted child. Hollywood, Bollywood stars are rich to enough adopt children, but Nepalis must not blindly follow them as there is a vast difference between them and us.

— Krishma Maharjan

I dot not support adoption. The present world is very selfish. I don’t believe in things that are possible only theoretically. I think even those who claim to accept ‘adoption’ here will find it difficult to go for adoption in their practical lives. I would prefer to have a child of my own and give him/her my name.

— Dwaipayan Regmi, Biratnagar

I would encourage adoption as long as these children are treated like other members of the family. Hollywood stars seem to be adopting children to be in the news. If they really care for poor children they could donate one per cent of their income to children in Africa. The concept of adopting children should be limited to childless couples who can actually value the importance of having a child and not to opulent couples who adopt just to show off that they are being social workers.

— Samir Jha

No, I would not encourage people to adopt looking at famous international celebrities as our culture and tradition is very different Hollyw-ood and Bollywood. We should not follow them.

— Sanjeev

I am not in favour of encouraging adoptions and personally would not opt for it. I agree childless married couples can adopt a child, but there are certain disadvantages of adopting a child. Though adoption helps a make the child’s life better, in the future the child may not accept them as his/her real parents. S/He may want to go to back to his/her real parents leaving the ones who adopted him/her if s/he comes to know his/ her real parents are alive.

— Sushobhit