The Outlook Podcast Archive - My son found his birth mother using Google Earth

Download My son found his birth mother using Google Earth

Sue Brierley adopted her son, Saroo, after he had been found wandering the streets of Kolkata as a five year old. He had got on a train that took him across India and away from his birth family, and couldn’t find his way back. Sue always believed that Saroo’s birth mother was alive, and would send comforting thoughts to her every night, sharing the boy's progress as he grew up in Tasmania. 25 years later Saroo used satellite maps online to retrace his steps to his first family’s home in India, and Sue finally met the birth mother she had thought about for so long. Saroo’s story was made into the Oscar-nominated film Lion, in which Sue’s character is played by Nicole Kidman.

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Rebecca Vincent

Picture: Sue Brierley with Saroo, shortly after his adoption
Credit: Photo courtesy of Sue Brierley

Published on Tuesday, 2nd March 2021.

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