New Delhi, Jun 14 (IANS): A Christian couple's plea for adopting a two-year-old Hindu girl as their second child has got the nod from a Delhi court which concluded that they were financially sound enough to take care of a fourth family member.

Associate professor in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Mandira Sarma and her husband Jesim Pais, an assistant professor in the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, approached the court seeking permission to adopt female child Maitre, now named Joya Pais.

The 39-year-old JNU professor was advised by doctors against conceiving a second child. She and her husband, who got married Nov 30, 2002, decided to adopt a child as they wanted to expand their family and give their four-year-old daughter a sibling.

District Judge Rakesh Kapoor, in an order given earlier this month, allowed the Christian family's request to adopt Maitre, who was a Hindu.

Taking note of the monthly income of the family, which is more than Rs.1 lakh, the court said: "It can be inferred that the petitioners are capable of maintaining themselves, their biological daughter as well as the female child to be adopted and that it will be in the welfare of the minor female child if the prayer of the petitioners is allowed."

"Allow the present petition and grant permission for adoption of minor female child Maitre, now named as Joya Pais by the petitioners, thereby the child becomes their legitimate daughter, with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities that are attached to the relationship," said Kapoor.

Maitre was found abandoned July 25, 2009 at Haryana's Faridabad in a train which came from Delhi and was taken to an orphanage. Medical examination showed that she was born around November 2008.

The orphanage gave her custody to the couple April 26, 2010, but advised them to take approval from a local court.