Mighil*, a Kerala-born full-stack web consultant and musician, now based in Chengdu, China, last held his daughter in his arms the night before he came to India in January last year. She was about six months old then.

He came to India for a short work-related matter. But things turned for the worse soon. The COVID-19 pandemic hit a peak in China. Although he wanted to return, he cancelled the plan due to safety concerns.

By the end of March 2020, China had closed its borders and entry points. Meeting in a third country wasn’t an option because his daughter was too young to risk travelling, and also because they were constrained by budget.

Mighil has been separated from his wife Rui* and daughter ever since. Even after a year and a half, even as his daughter turned two recently, he is unable to return to them.