In this age of information / internet , no one would imagine HAM radio could help unite a lost person found in Kolkata with his family thousands of kms away near Chennai . Keep reading and you will know for yourself.
This is the story of Dhanasekar ,a tamil boy, about 27yrs
old ,slightly deranged, missing from home in Sholingur about 150 kms from
Chennai for the last 4 months ,given up for gone by the family.
A few days after the Gangasagar Mela , the annual
religious fair in West Bengal, Ambarish Nag Biswas was told by Kolkata’s health
officer about a 25-year-old man admitted in a local government hospital , pining
to go home.
“When we met him, he could hardly speak. He had head injuries,”
said Mr. Biswas, secretary of the West Bengal Radio Club (Amateur Club), a
group of ham radio enthusiasts.
On 28/3/2017 during the
Night Maha meet net , Raju a HAM from
West Bengal ,a regular, said that there is a medical traffic , asked to
elaborate said he had been to Govt Diamond harbour Hospital in Calcutta and was
told a boy has been admitted and nobody can understand his language , however he
said Tamilnadu , Raju (VU2JFA) immediately got a recording of the boy and also
asked him to write down details and sent it through WhatsApp to my number.
Could make out a few details and at elephone number was
available , tried reaching out but no response , Peter TSF and Clement PQN also
pitched in but no avail. The next day Raju again sent some more details on
persistent trying reached out to a contact in Padi who was actually the boy’s
aunt , she and her husband who reside in
Korattur were very thrilled and in turn gave a tel no. of the boys father in
Sholingur, I spoke them and in turn suggested that they go down to Calcutta to
get back the boy. Felt they have a
language issue , noticed that there is tamilian Gopinath part of West Bengal
Radio society ,he is working with Hindustan motors.
Spoke to him , Gopitnath
assured he will help them out in Calcutta ,Raju promised to co-ordinate and
also arranged the doctor at the hospital to speak to their parents . The boys Uncle and cousin left for Calcutta on 2/4/17 , they were received by Raju and his team , in
fact Raju has photo document every stage , also co-ordinated with police and also
the hospital authorities for successful release of Dhanasekar into the custody
of his relatives.
The family arrived back to Chennai on 10/4/17 , they called
me up and thanked all for the wonderful help that was rendered. Would like to
thank Biswas , Raju , Gopinath and the
entire team of West Bengal radio club for taking their time and putting a great
effort in this great humanitarian task.
Mukund
VU3SMZ
