Honest debt: Kerala man tracks down friend after 35 years to repay cash borrowed in Saudi Arabia | Today’s news
More than three decades after he borrowed a small amount from a friend while working in Saudi Arabia, a man from Kerala traveled across states to return the money — along with interest — and close an emotional chapter of friendship.
About 35 years ago, Muhammad Ismail, a resident of Palakkad, was employed in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, when he was facing financial difficulties. During this period, his roommate, Edla Lachanna, came to his aid by lending him 120 Saudi Riyals worth around ₹1000 at that time.
Before Ismail could repay the amount, Lachanna returned to India. With cell phones and email still uncommon, the two gradually lost touch. Despite the years that had passed, Ismail never forgot the debt and remained determined to repay the money one day.
The search leads to an emotional reunion
Recently, Ismail decided it was finally time to fulfill his promise. The only information he remembered was that Lachanna belonged to a place called Dharmapuri. Using online searches and available information, he tracked down the location, traveling first to Hyderabad and then to Dharmapuri in Telangana, where he finally found his former roommate’s family after considerable effort.
The unexpected visit surprised Lachanna’s family, who soon connected the two friends through WhatsApp as Lachanna was still working in Saudi Arabia. He instantly recognized Ismail, even though he had completely forgotten about the small loan he had made decades earlier.
To repay the debt, Ismail handed over ₹25,000 explaining that he wanted to account for the passage of time and interest on the original amount. However, Lachanna expressed surprise at the calculation, saying he never expected to get anything back, let alone a much larger amount. To him, the gesture reflected the strength of their friendship rather than the value of money.
The meeting revived memories of the years they spent together in Saudi Arabia, where they often cooked meals and shared evenings after work. What began as a simple act of helping a friend in a difficult time ended up being a story of honesty, gratitude and an enduring friendship that survived 35 years of separation.
After meeting Lachanna’s family, Ismail also shared a meal with them before returning home, bringing the decades-old promise to a hearty conclusion.
