A girl child, born without limbs to add to her woes, returned as an accomplished painter to find her parents and thank them for letting her be alive.
Minda Cox alias Swapna’s long-cherished dream to meet her biological parents came true when she visited her native village - Kolekebailu in Udupi district.
Her guardian angel, who adopted her, cared for her and made her dream come true is Ms Catherine Cox from the US. 
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Babu Shetty, uncle of Minda recalled, “The girl child was born without limbs at home. Later, we took the child for treatment to the KMC hospital in Manipal and abandoned her there on April 18, 1988 as we were too poor to bear the treatment cost.”
He said Minda’s father and other relatives did visit the baby in hospital four or five times before she was shifted to Ashraya orphanage in Bangalore, from where she was adopted by Catherine Cox.
Minda now lives with her adoptive parents in Bolivar Missouri in the US.
Joy and guilt
Eye witnesses said Minda’s biological parents, Shankar Shetty and Kalavathi, welcomed their daughter with mixed feelings of joy and guilt. Through hugs and tears, they gave vent to the suppressed anguish of the long years of separation from their first born. Minda has three sisters after her.
Minda, in contrast, had no remorse or anger against her  biological parents. She only wanted to express her gratitude to them for “letting her live”.
The family was reluctant to answer questions on how Minda traced her biological parents. An eye witness said Minda was not allowed to meet anyone except her relatives.
Minda, now a painter, uses her short limb and shoulder to sketch the drawings and has no difficulty in doing her daily chores. She is capable of looking after herself like any abled person.
Her artistically sketched works are now displayed at her home.