Rahul and Kalpana love children."We always wanted to have at least three children,"say the couple, who have been married for eight years now and have been trying to get pregnant for the last six of those years. All kinds of fertility treatments, 'pujas',fasts and unaccountable visits to 'sadhus' have not helped the duo realise their dream of a "bustling household".The only ray of hope for them now is adoption. "Yes, it is a subject we are talking about more and more these days. We have spoken about it to family and friends; some are supportive, other reject the notion outright. But none of that matters because we are of the firm belief that we want a child in our lives," says Rahul quietly.

You become a parent not the moment you conceive a child but when you conceive OF her

So, are you also thinking of adoption like Rahul and Kalpana but don't know where to begin? The first step to becoming a parent (biological or adoptive) is to look within and find out if you are indeed ready. "If you have the conviction that you are ready to be a parent, then don't let that desire be submerged by practical issues or imaginary stigmas that are associated with adoption," says Mamta Govil, a single mother who adopted 14-month-old Tara a year back. Describing the arrival of Tara as the "most beautiful thing in my life", Mamta says, "I always wanted to be a mother and since marriage hasn't happened till now, I saw no reason to delay the 'being-a-mom' aspect of my life any further. I really wanted a child, and adoption was the way for me," says the 37-year-old teacher.