Two Women Who Grew Up as Strangers Learn They Are Biological Sisters

When Meena Geltink and Minal Tijssen were adopted

When Meena Geltink and Minal Tijssen were adopted from India as infants, their new families settled in different parts of the Netherlands. The two girls grew up unaware of each other, though their adopted homes were separated by no more than a short drive. Decades later, a chance DNA test revealed a bond that had been hidden since birth: they are sisters.

Both women were born in the same region of India and placed for adoption through separate agencies. Their Dutch parents, who had no connection to each other, brought them to Europe in the early 1980s. Meena was raised in a small town in the east, while Minal grew up near the coast, about 150 kilometers away. They attended local schools, made friends, and built lives—never suspecting that a sibling lived nearby.

The discovery came after Meena, now in her forties, decided to explore her heritage by submitting a DNA sample to a genealogy service. The result flagged a close genetic match with a woman named Minal, whose profile had been uploaded months earlier. Intrigued, Meena reached out, and the two began exchanging messages. Within weeks, they met in person and confirmed through documents and family stories that they shared the same birth mother.

Since then, the sisters have worked to piece

Since then, the sisters have worked to piece together their past, visiting the orphanage where they were both briefly housed and tracing their biological family’s history. They have also formed a close relationship with each other’s adoptive parents and children. According to Meena, the initial shock has given way to a sense of completeness. "I always felt something was missing," she said in an interview. "Now I know why."

The women say they plan to stay in touch and have already made arrangements to celebrate future holidays together. Their story has drawn attention in the Netherlands, where international adoption remains a sensitive topic. Both hope their experience encourages other adopted individuals to seek answers, though they acknowledge that not every search ends with such a happy reunion.

For now, Meena and Minal are focused on the present: sharing photographs, learning about each other’s childhoods, and making up for lost time. As Minal put it, "We have a lot of years to catch up on, but we’re starting now."