A Telangana migrant worker who lived in Saudi Arabia for nearly 40 years without returning home died recently, leaving authorities struggling to establish his nationality. With no Aadhaar or voter ID, his expired passport and visa records eventually helped the Indian Embassy confirm his identity, enabling repatriation of his mortal remains to Hyderabad.
Published Date – 5 July 2026, 07:40 PM
Jeddah: A Telangana NRI from a poor background who had spent nearly four decades in the Arabian Gulf without returning home saw a generation transform the country.
When he left India then there was no photo identity system, neither EPIC (Elector Photo Identity Card) nor Aadhaar card. The Passport obtained at that time was the only proof of his Indian nationality, as he was not in possession of Adhaar or voter ID card since he didn’t visit India for 40 years. After his death, his visa number was traced to passport and proved his nationality; this is how Botla Chandraiah’s nationality was established.
The native of Challapur village in Dubbaka Mandal in Siddipeat district of Telangana, Chandraiah embarked to Arabian deserts in the 1980s to escape from the grip of poverty that he inherited, like other Dalits.
Dubbaka is known as a major hub for Gulf migration. Chandraiah left for Saudi Arabia within a year of his marriage with Laxmi from the same village then did not look back home to India even once in four decades. His parents died and family and country has changed from traditional postal mail to trunk calls then cyber era, remaining unaware of Aadhaar and photo EPIC.
Chandraiah remained abroad doing marginal jobs and navigating complex issues. His passport expired long ago, so his Saudi visa, he was an illegal resident in the Kingdom.
Adhaar is generally required back home by local police for verification during passport enquiry, whereas Chandraiah was not in possession of it. Without a passport, renewal of residency visa in the host country is not possible. Sensing the procedural difficulties added with uncertainty in job, Chandraiah preferred to live illegally.
“Though he lived abroad for 40 years yet did not send even one thousand rupees to family whether to me or parents”, Laxmi, wife of Chandraiah told Telangana Today over the phone. She added that “I lived my life not only as a widow but also as an orphan”.
He fell suddenly ill and succumbed in May 2026, With none to enquire about his mortal remains, hospital authorities acted and based on his expired residency visa details, Saudi authorities traced deceased nationality to the Indian embassy.
Chandraiah’s parents passed away and his wife was incommunicado for long years of separation. He faded into village history, yet the Indian Embassy in Riyadh swung into action to trace his family in the hinterland in Telangana.
Backed by the embassy, Faruq, representative of Telugu community organisation SATA CENTRAL, reached Laxmi and confirmed deceased’s credentials, completed legal formalities and said mortal remains are expected to reach Hyderabad in a day or two.
