Abu Dhabi: Ending a nine-year wait, an Indian expat has finally met his son for the first time, thanks to the UAE amnesty for residency violations.
After being stranded in Abu Dhabi for nearly a decade, Vaisakh Surendran recently flew back to his native Kerala, where he met his son Ayush, 9.
“This is the best day of my life,” Surendran said over the phone from his home in Thiruvananthapuram, where his wife Anusha works part-time.
“Anusha is an only child. Last year, her father passed away from cancer, and her mother is also ailing. Despite this, Anusha has been a pillar of strength for me and has raised our child well. Ayush is doing well in his studies and has won prizes in several extracurricular activities.”
Although the family knew Surendran would be coming home soon, he kept his travel plans a secret. He was overcome with emotion as he embraced son, who is in Grade 5.
“This bonding was lost to time and circumstances. I thank my family, friends, well-wishers, and the UAE government initiative. Without their support, I wouldn’t have made it through,” Surendran said.
Business loss
Surendran’s journey has been filled with ups and downs since he first came to the UAE in 2009. Starting as a helper, he eventually became a salesman and launched his own small trading business in Abu Dhabi by investing all his savings. However, his partner backed out, and the business took a hit leading to financial losses. Meanwhile, he got married back home and became a father in 2015.
On returning to Abu Dhabi, his situation worsened when a relative allegedly betrayed him, taking guarantee cheques from Surendran’s company to raise a large sum of money. When the cheques bounced, Surendran ended up in jail and had to fight multiple legal battles. Unable to renew his company licence since 2017, he faced mounting fines, court cases, and bills, which eventually totalled more than Dh40,000.
Despite these overwhelming challenges, Surendran said he received unwavering support from his friends — Arshad Abdul Azeez, Ahmed Farris, and Sameer Kallara.
“I’ve known him since childhood. We helped him in any way we could, by paying his rent, food, and other expenses,” said Kallara, who is also the president of Indian Media Abu Dhabi.
Additionally, Ajay Chauhan, managing director of Myraa Group, paid a lump sum amount to settle Surendran’s outstanding dues. During the ongoing amnesty programme, Surendran could regularise his status, obtain a new Emirates ID, and have his visa issued. His friends even pooled money together for him to shop before he headed home last week.
“I am deeply grateful for everyone’s support. The amnesty programme has truly been a lifeline,” he said.
New challenges, renewed hope
However, his happiness was short-lived, as his father was admitted to the hospital with a serious heart condition and will require surgery.
“Life continues to test me. I hope this phase will pass too,” Surendran said, remaining hopeful that he will return to the UAE soon and find a job.
“I want to give my family a better life. Once I’ve settled things here, I hope to return to the UAE. I’ve lost nine years of my life. I want to make my second innings count,” Surendran added.
