Dubai: Indian Family Reunited By Khaleej Times One Year Ago Cherishes New Life Together

One year ago, Komal Parmar and her son Aayush walked into the Khaleej Times office in Dubai with little more than hope.

It was their first trip out of Gujarat, undertaken with almost no money and no concrete leads. For more than three years, they had searched for Komal's husband , Sanjay, who had vanished in the UAE. They chased every lead at home, filed complaints with authorities, and reached out to anyone who might help, but nothing worked.

Each time Komal dialed his number, no one answered. Her messages went unread, and the family, drained of resources and strength, braced for the worst.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

What Komal didn't know then was that Sanjay had fallen on hard times. Cheated by a recruitment agent and left without valid papers or money, he was too ashamed to face his family.

“At first it was only a few days of silence, but it stretched into years of distance,” Sanjay later admitted.“Guilt consumed me.”

It was against this backdrop that Komal and Aayush made their journey to Dubai last September - a last attempt to trace Sanjay's whereabouts.

“We just wanted to know if he was alive,” Komal recalled. Hours after their story was published in Khaleej Times, a message arrived from Abu Dhabi. Ali Hasnain, a Pakistani Etisalat technician, recognised Sanjay in the report.

He and his brother, Mohammad Naseem, had taken the Indian worker in, giving him food, shelter and dignity when he had nowhere else to go.

The next morning, Khaleej Times drove Komal and Aayush to Abu Dhabi.

The reunion was emotional and overwhelming. Sanjay ran to embrace his family, tears of relief flowing after years of torment.

Check out the video below:

Life after the storm

Today, 12 months on, the Parmars are back in Vadodara. While life hasn't suddenly become perfect, they now cherish even the simplest moments: sharing meals, chatting in the living room, and celebrating small victories.

“This time last year we were wandering in Dubai, not knowing if we'd ever see Sanjay again. Now he sits beside me every day,” Komal said.“It feels like we've got our lives back.”

Komal is deeply grateful to the strangers who made their reunion possible.“Ali Hasnain and Mohammad Naseem from Pakistan treated my husband like a brother. Social worker Roshan Ratauri spent days helping us close police files and complete paperwork. Their kindness will stay with us forever.”

The timing of their return continues to feel symbolic.“We came back to Gujarat during Ganesh Chaturthi last year. Now, as the festival comes again, I remember those days in Dubai."

Sanjay, now employed again in Vadodara, said the reunion gave him a second chance.“I missed out on years with my family. I can't change the past, but every day I try to make up for that lost time. I've realised nothing is more important than family.”

Meanwhile, Aayush, who has since started work as a trainee engineer, said the ordeal taught him resilience.“We went through the worst time of our lives, but it showed me how fragile everything is. Now, the best part of my day is just talking to my father about work or hearing his advice. It's something I thought I'd lost forever.”

Their eldest son, who works abroad, flew down to India soon after the reunion. For Komal, seeing all four of them together in their Vadodara home was the moment she finally felt whole again. The family shared a photograph of themselves smiling, an image Komal says is“proof that miracles happen.”

Though the scars of those years remain, the Parmars now view life differently.“We used to take things for granted...festivals, family time, even small conversations,” Komal said.“For us now, every one of those moments feels precious.”

And as Gujarat once again celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi, she cannot help but reflect on the journey.“Last year at this time, I was in the UAE, not knowing if we'd ever see Sanjay again. This year, he's home. That is our biggest blessing.”

MENAFN05092025000049011007ID1110024550