Aadhaar helps three intellectually challenged youths reunite with kin

BENGALURU: Three youngsters with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who got separated from their families years ago, will be reunited with their parents on Thursday, all thanks to the Aadhaar enrolment drive. They were identified during an Aadhaar enrolment drive at orphanages held by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) regional office, Bengaluru. A background check of rejected enrolments revealed that three inmates of the Child Welfare Committee Orphanage in the city had already enrolled for Aadhaar a few years ago.
Nikhith Kumar, 16, was brought to the state-run orphanage on March 11, 2016.Since he was unable to recollect his name, CWC called him Prashanth. He was enrolled for Aadhaar on July 20, 2017, which was rejected as duplicate.
UIDAI officials found that the biometrics already existed in the name of Nikhith Kumar from Pahihardo village in Unnao district, Uttar Pradesh. This was brought to the notice of CWC department officials. When UIDAI office contacted the parents, they acknowledged that Nikhith Kumar was their missing son.
Karthi P Pichandi, 20, was bought to the orphanage on September 7, 2013. His application for Aadhaar was also rejected citing the same reason. Later, his origins were traced to Chendathur village of Vellore district in Tamil Nadu. The parents of Manjunatha, 17, who joined the orphanage on March 5, 2016, live in Moodalapalya, Bengaluru.
Ten children could find their lost families with the help of their Aadhaar number in the past few weeks.