Latest news with #GopalanChandran
Arab Times
26-04-2025
- General
- Arab Times
Stranded Indian Returns Home After 40 Years in Bahrain
MANAMA, April 26: After more than 40 years of being stranded in the Middle East, an Indian man will finally reunite with his family in Kerala, ending a long and heartbreaking journey of survival and resilience. Seventy-four-year-old Gopalan Chandran, an expatriate from India, had been stuck in Bahrain for over four decades after moving there in search of better job opportunities. A native of a small village near Powdikonam in Trivandrum, Kerala, Gopalan had arrived in Bahrain on August 16, 1983, full of hope and ambition to support his family back home. Like many migrant workers, he chased the dream of a better life, but destiny had other plans. Shortly after his arrival, his employer passed away unexpectedly, and Gopalan lost his passport. Left without documentation, he found himself trapped in Bahrain's immigration system, living in a state of legal limbo for decades. For years, Gopalan survived quietly on the margins of society until his plight caught the attention of the Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC)—an NGO comprising retired judges, lawyers, and journalists who advocate for Indians facing injustice both at home and abroad. Sudheer Thirunilath, President of PLC's Bahrain Chapter, along with his team, worked tirelessly with the Embassy of India in Bahrain and the Kingdom's Immigration Department to navigate the complex bureaucracy and arrange Gopalan's return. "Gopalan finally returns home to see his 95-year-old mother, who never gave up hope of seeing her son again. He boarded his flight this morning with no belongings—only memories, tears, and the dream of reuniting with his family. This is more than just a man going home; it's a testament to humanity, justice, and the power of relentless compassion. It's a beacon of hope for countless unheard migrants. Welcome home, Gopalan. You were never forgotten," PLC shared in a heartfelt Facebook post.
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First Post
24-04-2025
- First Post
How Kerala man stuck in Bahrain returned home after 42 years
Gopalan Chandran went to Bahrain in 1983 with eyes full of dreams of building a better life for his family back home. Little did the 74-year-old man from Kerala know that he would be stuck in the Gulf country as an undocumented migrant for over 40 years. Here's his story read more Gopalan Chandran was stuck in Bahrain for over 40 years. Facebook/Pravasi Legal Cell The wait of more than 40 years of an Indian man stuck in West Asia to return home has come to an end. Carrying dreams of a better life, a young Kerala man travelled to Bahrain in 1983. However, little did he know it was the beginning of his struggles to come home. As he is finally back, let's know his heartrending story. Kerala man stuck in Bahrain for over 40 years Gopalan Chandran left his small village near Powdikonam in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram in search of better job opportunities over 40 years back. He reached Bahrain on August 16, 1983, seeking a well-paid job to provide for his family back home, as per a Hindustan Times (HT) report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, Chandran's plans took a hit after the death of his employer. In another unfortunate incident, Chandran lost his passport, which left him undocumented and stranded in the West Asian country. The Pravasi Legal Cell, an NGO comprising retired judges, lawyers and journalists who fight for Indians facing injustice in India and abroad, shared his tale in a post on Facebook. A 42-year-long wait Chandran, who is now 74, remained stuck in Bahrain for 42 years as he was overlooked by the immigration system. He survived quietly in the shadows while living in a legal limbo, reported HT. His life took a turn after Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC) intervened. As per the Facebook post, the NGO, led by Sudheer Thirunilath, 'worked tirelessly' to bring Chandran's story to the limelight. It navigated 'legal mazes', provided shelter to the Kerala man and coordinated with authorities. The NGO also traced Chandran's family, which includes his elderly mother. Chandran returns home Thirunilath, the Bahrain Chapter President of PLC, and his team got in touch with the Embassy of India in Bahrain and the Gulf country's Immigration Department to ensure Chandran's return home. 'Gopalan finally return home to see his 95-year-old mother — who never stopped waiting for her son. He boards his flight home today morning with no belongings — only memories, tears, and the dream of reuniting with family (sic),' PLC wrote in its Facebook post on Wednesday (April 23). 'This isn't just a story of a man going home. It's a story of what happens when humanity, justice, and relentless kindness come together. It's a symbol of hope for countless migrants who remain unheard. Welcome home, Gopalan. You were never forgotten,' it added. Indians in Bahrain As many as 90 lakh Indian nationals are living in the Gulf Co-operation Council countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Of this, 350,000 Indians are in Bahrain. More than 60 per cent of the Indian expatriates are in the construction, contracting and maintenance sectors. Besides blue-collar jobs, Indians also work in professions like doctors, engineers, chartered accountants and bankers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Recently, the plight of Indian workers in Gulf countries engaged in low-paying jobs has come to light. They are exploited, underpaid and poorly treated by their employers. Some workers have also passed away, with many deaths attributed to 'natural causes' or 'cardiac arrest'. As per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 24 Indian nationals, including workers, died in accidents in Bahrain, while 285 died due to other reasons in 2023-24. With inputs from agencies
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Indian man stuck in Bahrain for 42 years finally returns home: 'You were never forgotten'
An Indian man who had been stranded in the Middle East for over 40 years will be reunited with his family in Kerala, bringing an end to his heartbreaking story of loss and survival. 74-year-old Gopalan Chandran, an Indian expatriate had been stuck in Bahrain for over four decades where he had moved to seek better job opportunities. A resident of a small village near Powdikonam in Trivandrum, Kerala, Gopalan had arrived in Bahrain on August 16, 1983 hoping to secure a well paying job to help his family back in India. Like many migrant workers, he left home with high hopes and youthful ambition, driven by the promise of a better life but fate had other plans. Soon after he reached Bahrain, his employer died untimely and his passport was lost. Suddenly, Chandran became undocumented and over the years he fell through the cracks of the immigration system and was stranded in Bahrain for what seemed like eternity. Living his life in a legal limbo, Gopalan survived quietly in the shadows before his return home was made possible by the Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC), an NGO which comprised retured judges, lawyers and journalists who fight for Indians facing injustice in India and abroad. Sudheer Thirunilath, the Bahrain Chapter President of PLC along with his team coordinated with the Embassy of India in Bahrain and the Kingdom's Immigration Department to cut through years of bureaucratic red tape and secure Gopalan's return. "Gopalan finally return home to see his 95-year-old mother—who never stopped waiting for her son. He boards his flight home today morning with no belongings—only memories, tears, and the dream of reuniting with family. This isn't just a story of a man going home. It's a story of what happens when humanity, justice, and relentless kindness come together. It's a symbol of hope for countless migrants who remain unheard. Welcome home, Gopalan. You were never forgotten," PLC said in a post on Facebook. (Also read: Man stranded in Dubai after accepting fake job offer; Vij orders probe)
Daily Tribune
23-04-2025
- General
- Daily Tribune
Homebound
In a truly heartwarming and historic moment, Mr. Gopalan Chandran, an Indian expatriate who had not returned home for the past 42 years, will finally be reuniting with his loved ones in India. This longawaited return has been made possible through the tireless efforts of Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC), under the leadership of Mr. Sudheer Thirunilath, Global PRO and Bahrain Chapter President of PLC, with the generous support and coordination of the Embassy of India, the Immigration Department, LMRA, and the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Gopalan Chandran, originally from a small village near Powdikonam in Trivandrum, Kerala, arrived in Bahrain on 16th August 1983, filled with youthful dreams and the hope of providing a better future for his family. But a twist of fate changed everything — his employer passed away, his passport was lost, and he became undocumented.
