Here, grand-mom’s the word 47-year-old Diptiben delivers her twin grandchildren at a clinic in Anand Ayesha Khan  Ahmedabad January 29, 2004

Anand, January 29: DIPTIBEN, a 47-year-old from Anand, delivered her twin grandchildren today at a clinic here. The family, despite the ecstasy, chose to remain anonymous and it was the doctor who posed before the media with the twins — a boy and girl.

That there were many an emotional moments behind the closed doors of room no 9 of Akanksha Clinic was evident from the words of Dr Nayna Patel who carried out the caesarean section, and Karsandas, paternal grandfather of the twins, who had specially flown in from London for the occasion. He was the only person from the family who faced the media.

‘‘I am overwhelmed and my son, when he heard the news on phone, too was emotional and made me cry,’’ said Karsandas. ‘‘Diptiben was ecstatic after she gave birth to her grandchildren. She has made an impossible dream come true for our family,’’ he added.

However, room no 9 remained firmly locked except for a brief interval when the babies were brought out, wrapped in baby pink and blue blankets to pose for cameras.

Diptiben, who agreed to be the surrogate mother for her UK-based daughter after much persuasion from members of her family, is reported to be coping well after the caesarean section. Apart from legal formalities for British adoption of the twins, the family says they prefer anonymity as Diptiben has two unmarried daughters.

Dr Patel said Diptiben was initially hesitant, faced with the moral dilemma of mothering her daughter and son-in-law’s children. However, after delivery, she is happy to have been able to give this unique gift to her daughter, said the doctor.

‘‘Her only worry now is the marriage of her two daughters and that is why she wants complete anonymity,’’ said Dr Nayna Patel.

Talking to media, Karsandas said the only reason why he is facing them is to promote awareness on surrogate motherhood and stress the necessity of familial as well as societal support and acceptance for such acts.

‘‘The only reason why I am talking to media is to bring about an awareness on such issues,’’ Karsandas told television networks. ‘‘There is no point in blaming a woman if she cannot bear children, I just understood my daughter-in-law’s situation,’’ said Karsandas.

He took the initiative on surrogate motherhood after seeking counselling with a British group COTS (Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy), after it was found that Reena could not have children as she did not have a uterus.

Karsandas said he intended to establish a charity fund and also a support group for Asian community on the issue of surrogate motherhood.

‘‘Blaming women for not having children is a typical Asian mentality and I believe it is the greatest insult to a woman,’’ Karsandas said.

He said his priority is to ensure legal adoption of the twins in UK so that they can be brought to their London home. He said afterwards he would concentrate on publishing medical and counselling literature on surrogate motherhood in various Indian languages.

While the twins would be brought up in UK, Karsandas plans a quiet retirement in Saurashtra in a couple of years.

‘‘Reena has two sisters of marriageable age and ours being a conservative society, we should respect their privacy,’’ he said.

He said he would like to call his grandchildren Vivek and Sharda, in honour of Swami Vivekanand and Sharda Devi, Ramakrishna Paramhans’ mother.

Dr Patel said, ‘‘It gives me great satisfaction; the joy of the family is just overwhelming.’’