Online classes help hearing impaired boy trace parents after nine years

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 22

Corona shutdown leading to online classes in schools has helped hearing and speech impaired Abdul Razak reunite with his family today. He had been separated from his family for more than nine years after straying away at a fair in Fatehgarh Sahib.

Razzak had been found wandering in the religious fair in 2011. He could not communicate who he was or who he was looking for. A philanthropist, Gurnam Singh, found the abandoned disabled child and took him to his family in Bharionpur village of Fatehgarh Sahib district. In spite of all attempts, he could not trace the family or home of Razzak. He was put in Patiala School for the Deaf for his education about eight years back. Razzak recently completed his matriculation.

The young lad could not provide any leads about his background till about three months back when due to Covid lockdown he switched to computers for his daily classes.

Sharing Razzak's story Col (retd) Karminder Singh, a top functionary of the Deaf School says, “Exchanging notes on his Facebook account that he created during his classes, he identified a friend. Communicating with him, Razzak was able to trace his family roots in Farrukhabad city of Uttar Pradesh”.

Today his father Talib Ali, who works as a tailor there, reached Patiala and met the boy to take him back home to his family. “I am thankful to Punjab and to Gurnam Singh and the school authorities for not only taking care of my boy but also for ensuring that he followed  his religious beliefs all these years”, Talib Ali told The Tribune.

Recalling the fateful day in 2011, he said that he had come to Punjab to attend a religious fair in Sirhind where due to the heavy rush he was unable to trace his son. “I tried for a few days and also approached the police, but could not find him. Little did I know that I will not only find my son back but also see him clear his matriculation”, he said.

Expressing his gratitude to everyone Abdul Razzak wrote that he was well taken care of for the past nine years. “I was only 8 when I was left abandoned and homeless. It is only due to the efforts of my teachers, Gurnam Singh Ji and the Patiala School for the deaf that I am not only able to express myself through writing but havealso managed to trace my parents”, he wrote in his thank you message.