Mumbai: Happy reunion - 'Missing' man returns home to Mangalore after 18 years

Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai (DV)

Mumbai, Apr 21: In a happy reunion, a native of Natekal-Kinya near Mangalore returned home to his family, after spending nearly two decades in Mumbai.

Sudhakar Poojary (32) who had arrived in Mumbai to earn his livelihood, on Saturday April 20 returned to his hometown and to his family who had almost lost hopes of ever seeing him again.

Old photograph of Sudhakar given to Rons six years ago

Sudhakar

After coming to Mumbai, Sudhakar immersed himself fully in work, so much so that he did not even keep in touch with his family back home. He seldom contacted them, be it through letters or calls, creating anxiety and uneasiness among his family members.

Sudhakar worked at different establishments like Hotel Sahar, Andheri East, Hotel Sayan in Parel and many others. Strangely enough, he never felt the desire to return to his hometown or even maintain contact with his family.

Meanwhile, his mother and other family members who continued to pine for him, almost lost hopes of seeing Sudhakar again. Suspecting that he had gone missing, Sudhakar's elder brother approached Daijiworld Mumbai bureau chief Rons Bantwal and requested his help in tracing his missing brother. He also gave him Sudhakar's photograph.

That was years ago. For the last 5-6 years, Rons has kept his photograph and been on the lookout for Sudhakar in the vast metropolitan city. As no missing complaint had been filed, the task was equal to looking for a needle in a haystack. Every effort to trace him had gone in vain, especially as Sudhakar himself had maintained a low profile and never attempted to return home.

However, last Sunday, by sheer providence, Rons accidentally came across information that Sudhakar was employed at one of the hotels in Parel.

Wasting no more time, Rons at once located the hotel and met Sudhakar. Though the photo he had of him was old, it was enough to help him recognize the man. After a lot of coaxing, Rons eventually convinced Sudhakar to return home for the sake of his mother and family.

Rons next contacted Sudhakar's brother to convey the happy news, and also sent his recent photograph home so they could identify their loved one.

Soon after, Rons made arrangements with Narayan Anchan, manager of Canara Pinto travels and ensured his safe return to Mangalore from Mumbai.

It was a heart-warming scene at Mangalore when Sudhakar returned home to his brother Ganesh Poojary and family, and especially his waiting mother who blessed him in abundance and could barely control her tears of joy. Eighteen years of anxiety had been washed away in a single moment of reunion.

Krishna Gowda of K R Pete, a friend of Sudhakar, and Rons Bantwal wished Sudhakar good luck while bidding him farewell in Mumbai on Friday April 19.