Old Keralite in Dubai for 40 years 'forgot' family

An elderly Indian, who landed in Dubai about 40 years ago, and has not once visited his hometown, cannot remember his family or even his name correctly. Social workers are doing their best to ascertain his identity and help trace his family in Kerala.

According to his passport details, his name is Abdullah Punathil Usman and he is 60 years old. His friends believe he landed in the UAE on a dhow without valid documents during that first wave of migration from Kerala.

He is currently admitted in Dubai Hospital for treating a sore foot. He is a diabetic.

Social workers believe he hails from Malabar region in Kerala. They are spreading the message through social media and word-of-mouth.

Basheer Marancherry, an Indian social worker and journalist, who is spearheading the efforts to help him, says several people visited Dubai Hospital to check if they could recognise him.

Meanwhile, the elderly man changes the name of his hometown often. At times he says he is from Trichur, then changes to Malappuram and Kozhikkodu.

“Prefixes such as Usman and Punathil with the name Abdullah seems quite strange to him," says Marancherry.

“He suffers from chronic diabetics and other age-related illnesses. He speaks very less and even when close friends and social workers quiz him about his family, he becomes silent,” said Marancherry.

The hospital bills will be settled by his employer, says his friend. "He has been getting Dh500 salary," said Ashraf, one of his friends.

He works as a houseboy for an Emirati family in Hor Al Anz. His close friend, Khalid, who met him about 26 years ago, and works for the same family, also believe that he is from Malabar region in Kerala.

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