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A Kerala man travelled to Telangana to repay a loan he had borrowed from a former colleague more than three decades ago, fulfilling a promise made during their years working in Saudi Arabia.

According to multiple media reports, Mohammed Ismail, a native of Palakkad, traced his former colleague, Edla Lachanna, in Dharmapuri town of Jagtial district after years without any contact. Remembering only the name of Lachanna’s hometown, he eventually located his family and handed over Rs 25,000.

The two became friends in 1991 while working in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, where they shared accommodation with three other expatriate workers for nearly five years.

During that time, Lachanna lent Ismail 120 Saudi Riyals, worth about Rs 1,000 then, when he needed financial assistance. Before they went their separate ways, Ismail promised to repay the amount once he was financially stable.

After Lachanna returned to India, the friends gradually lost contact as staying in touch across countries was difficult before mobile phones and social media became widely available.

Search ends after decades

Determined to keep his promise, Ismail recently searched online for Dharmapuri and travelled there on July 9. After making enquiries with local residents, he eventually found Lachanna’s home.

As Lachanna is currently working in the Gulf, the two reconnected through a WhatsApp video call. Ismail then handed Rs 25,000 to his friend’s family, bringing the decades-old debt to a close.

A reflection of our friendship

According to NDTV, Lachanna said he was surprised that Ismail had repaid Rs 25,000 for a loan of only 120 Saudi Riyals.

“He is a very honest and good man. That is why he gave me more money. It is simply a reflection of our friendship,” he said.

Recalling their time in Saudi Arabia, Lachanna said they often cooked and shared meals after work, which strengthened their friendship.

He added that he did not know how Ismail arrived at the repayment amount but believed it may have included interest.