A retired Haryana government employee has played a key role in reuniting a Tamil Nadu woman with her son after 23 years of separation. Subhash Chander, a retired Haryana secretariat employee, helped bring Sundari back together with her son Prakash, who was born Prakaasam. Sundari had presumed her son to be dead all these years.
How the Haryana retiree helped find the missing son
Subhash Chander first met Prakash in May 2023 and found him in poor condition. According to The Times of India, Prakash could not talk about anything and simply repeated what others said to him. The initial four months with him were tough for Subhash Chander.
The retired employee described the harsh reality of Prakash's situation. He explained that Prakash had been kept with cattle and chained to an iron bed without a mat or sheet at night for over 18 years. He received only two meals a day during this period.
"You can imagine a person's plight given two meals a day, kept with the cattle and chained to an iron bed without a mat or sheet at night for over 18 years. It was only after a lot of effort that he finally started speaking about Tamil Nadu." — Subhash Chander, The Times of India
The breakthrough that led to the family reunion
After months of persistent effort, Prakash finally began speaking about Tamil Nadu. This was the turning point in the case. Subhash Chander then contacted his journalist friend Muthaiah in Palladam to help trace Prakash's family.
According to The New Indian Express, Prakaasam, now known as Prakash, left his home in Coimbatore in 2003 at the age of 16. He had been held as a bonded labourer for more than 18 years at a dairy farm near Amritsar.
The reunion brought an end to years of uncertainty for Sundari, who had believed her son was no longer alive. The case highlights how one person's determination can make a significant difference in reuniting families.
Our Take: One man's persistence made the difference
This story shows the power of patient, persistent effort. Subhash Chander did not give up when Prakash could not speak or communicate. He spent months working with him, slowly building trust and helping him open up about his past.
To put it plainly, this reunion happened because one retired man decided to care. The conditions Prakash endured for 18 years are hard to imagine — chained to an iron bed, kept with cattle, and given only two meals a day. That anyone survived such treatment and could eventually find his way home is remarkable.
The role of the journalist friend Muthaiah also matters here. This case shows how ordinary people — a retiree and a journalist — can accomplish what systems sometimes cannot. For families with missing loved ones, this story offers a reminder that hope should not be abandoned, even after many years.
For Sundari, the nightmare of believing her son was dead has ended. For Prakash, a new chapter begins after two decades of suffering. And for the rest of us, this is a reminder that one person's compassion can change a life forever.
Sources & References
- The Times of India — From missing teen to bonded labourer, Tamil Nadu man reunites with mother after 23 years
- The New Indian Express — Tamil Nadu man reunites with mother after 23 years following rescue from alleged bonded labour in Punjab
- The Tribune — Tamil man back home after 18-year solitary confinement in Punjab