Under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, wife's consent is NOT required if she:

The proviso to section 7 bars a married man from adopting "except with the consent of his wife unless the wife has completely and finally renounced the world or has ceased to be a Hindu or has been declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be of unsound mind". Living apart, infertility or an unreasonable refusal does not dispense with her consent.