CP Abdullah (second from left) hands over a wallet to Ibrahim Mia’s grandson Maqbool Ahmed in Kurnool.
The 800-kilometer journey did not begin with a map, but with a memory. For 74-year-old CP Abdullah, a businessman from Velimukku near Calicut University, the ₹93 crore debt carried much more weight than his wallet.
Last week, almost five decades after he owed it to a grocer in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Abdullah embarked on a long journey. This decision confused his friends and colleagues. Why would a 74-year-old businessman travel all the way to Andhra Pradesh to repay just ₹93? But for Mr. Abdullah, the answer was clear. “This debt has haunted me for years,” he said. “I tried many times through different people to find the man I owed, but I never succeeded.
After carrying the burden of debt for decades, he finally embarked on a journey to Kurnool along with some young people. His intention was simple but personal – to find Ibrahim Mia, the man to whom he had owed ₹93 per can of ghee (approximately 16.5 kg) since 1978.
Small restaurateur
Back then, Mr. Abdullah was a small restaurateur running Abhilash Restaurant in Kurnool and Ibrahim Mia traded in the popular Tungabhadra ghee. In five decades, debt has become a matter of honor and peace of mind for Mr. Abdullah.
“I was not able to pay the amount at that time despite Ibrahim Mia asking for it several times,” said Mr. Abdullah, who closed his restaurant in 1982 and moved to Velimukku, Malappuram.
Having grown up in a municipal corporation, Kurnool posed a challenge for them in finding a building that once housed a ghee shop. After a long search, Mr. Abdullah and his team discovered that the store no longer existed and that Ibrahim Mia had long since passed away. His sons, Gaffar and Jabbar, were also dead. However, they tracked down Gaffar’s son Maqbool Ahmed.
Ibrahim Mia’s grandson initially refused to accept the money but relented when Mr Abdullah insisted. “I finally repaid an amount equivalent to ₹93 in 1978,” said Mr. Abdullah, heaving a long sigh.
Published – 04 Dec 2025 19:27 IST
