NEW DELHI: Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj appealed to the people to help the government in finding the parents of Geeta, a girl with hearing and speech disabilities who had returned to India from Pakistan in October 2015.

The minister also announced a reward worth INR100,000 for the person who helps track down Geeta?s parents.

In a video message, Sushma remarked that Geeta had returned to India with a lot of hope.

"I appeal to people for help in locating her parents. Several families have claimed Geeta to be their daughter, but she didn't recognise any of them,? said Sushma.

She also appealed to Geeta?s parents to come forward and take her home, assuring them that all her expenses will be taken care of.

"In last two years, she has learnt sign language, computers and stitching but sometimes she starts crying for her family. I announce a reward of Rs 100,000 to whosoever finds her parents and it will a great service to unite a girl to her family," she said in the message.

Currently, Geeta is staying at a non-government organisation in Indore.

Stranded at the age of 11, Geeta spent over a decade in Pakistan before she finally returned to India at the age of 23 in the hope to reunite with her family. Almost eight months later she still hasn?t been able to meet them.

Deaf and mute Geeta hopes to find family in India

Geeta lives in an institute for the hearing and speech impaired in India.

Geeta lives in an institute for the hearing and speech impaired in India.

Several couples have since then approached the institute, claiming to be the lost girl?s parents but she did not recognize anyone nor were those people able to substantiate their claims, Indian media reported.

Geeta was around 11-years-old when Pakistani soldiers found her sitting at the Samjhauta Express station in Lahore. She was then adopted by Pakistani philanthropist Bilquis Edhi and spent over a decade at the Edhi foundation.

A temple was built for Geeta where she prayed. Bilquis Edhi wanted her to marry a Hindu boy and settle down in Pakistan but Geeta insisted on marrying only after she had returned to her country.