Abandoned at birth, Swede returns to Mumbai for clues on biological mother

Erika Sandberg holds a photo of son Jonas PicsPradeep DhivarMumbaiborn Erika Sandberg aka Sheetala admits that she felt an overpowering need to connect with India only after the birth of her son Jonas seven years ago In all fairness though Sandberg never knew India much less Mumbai The 41yearold Swedish national was abandoned two days after birth at a Matunga orphanage and within months adopted by a loving couple from SwedenSandberg who is on an annual visit to India to help her son Jonas alias Shante keep his roots with India candidly admits that she has no interest in tracking down her biological parents But there is a lsquogodmotherrsquo Swaran Ahuja who prompted Sandbergrsquos first attempts to connect with IndiaAlso Read Newborn wasnt abducted parents abandoned himErika Sandberg jams with her father during a session with intellectuallydisabled adults in SwedenFairy godmotherSandberg who was born in Bombay on January 2 1976 was handed over to a Matunga orphanage mdash Shradhanand Mahila Ashram mdash when she was just two days old There little Sheetala her Indian name had her first encounter with Ahuja a resident of Churchgate who was tasked with the process of three adoptionsSwaran Ahuja left an orphanage coordinator whom Sandberg considers her godmotherldquoShe came to see me once a week for the eight months before I moved to Sweden I call her my godmother because she always watched over me even after I moved to Sweden When I was a year old Swaran Ahuja came to see me to make sure I was doing well Then after I turned 15 she again came to see me My mother and she kept in touch through letters during those yearsrdquoWhat perhaps prompted Ahuja to share a close bond that transcended borders and time was their coinciding birth datesLoving parentsSandbergrsquos isnrsquot a heartbreaking story of abandonment She found loving parents in a Swedish couple who often opened their hearts and doors to the less fortunate around them The couple were already foster parents to 16yearold Sten when Sandberg came into their livesldquoI grew up in a small village 60 km south of Stockholm Sweden My parents would get home all the less fortunate children from in and around our village who could not go anywhere during summer vacations and did everything possible including taking them out on excursions to make their vacations memorablerdquo says SandbergRead Story After parents abandon three kids at station policeman takes them inAs a child she stood out in her village and was often bullied for her Indian features But it was her parentsrsquo love that helped heal all wounds Although they were always open about her roots they made it clear that race or colour would never stymie their love for Sten and herEnjoyed being differentldquoI looked different from other children I was the only one who had brown eyes and dark hair whereas others including Sten were fair I was bullied by other children in school and at play but I enjoyed having a different identityrdquo she saysBeing conscious of her looks at all times prompted her to visit India with her mother at the age of 19 The visit was solely to fulfil her desire to connect with her biological parentsldquoI was told my biological parents couldnrsquot be tracked because no one knew where I came from I made my peace with that and since then have never given much thought to my biological parents I believe the people who take care of you and keep in touch with you are your familyrdquoldquoI was happy with Swaran Ahuja in India and my Swedish parents My mother and I did another trip in 2001 to meet Swaran and her familyrdquo she saysWorldwiseIt was perhaps the realisation that she had been lsquosavedrsquo by her Swedish parents that have prompted her to give back to society ldquoI always wanted to see the world I started with Australia at the age of 18 where I worked on ecological farms I later settled in Sweden with a man I was dating and studied to be a lecturer I earned a scholarship to spend some time in Egypt to make a film on a small fishing village thererdquo she saysAfter returning to Sweden she worked as a teacher for three years before getting the itch to get back to working as a volunteer ldquoI was trained by the United Nations learned some Arabic and was then sent to teach at a refugee camp in Jordan for four monthsShe returned home to work with the children of immigrants Thatrsquos when she met her now livein partner Anders 59 with whom she had Jonas ldquoWhen he was born we started coming to India every year The connection with India became important and I wanted him to be part of this culture too My son looks like me and Irsquom glad about thatrdquo she laughsImmersed in the artsSandberg has spent the last seven years immersed in music and theatre with intellectuallydisabled adults in Sweden ldquoI recently joined the university to study leadership in social work to start my own NGOrdquo she saysSo does she want to adopt a child from India too Sandberg cites her age and health she suffers from multiple sclerosis against taking such a decision She however wants to support orphans and assist disabled adults connect with the world through musicSandberg Anders and Jonas are currently in Goa and will leave for Sweden on February 19Giving backSoon after Sandbergrsquos parents death in the last five years she auctioned household property and wanted to donate Rs 80000 from the proceeds to the Matunga orphanage ldquoBut there has been no response to my letter I have now approached another orphanage Bal Asha Trust in Worli who have agreed to take the donationrdquo she says