Amartya and Aparajita, the children of late Priyadarshini Desai (Patil), have returned to India from Australia and reunited with their grandparents in Dharwad on July 11. The children were handed over to their father, Lingaraj Patil, who works as an engineer in Sydney, by the Australian government.
Priyadarshini, aged 40 and a tech professional, tragically died by suicide near Munavalli in Savadatti taluk in August 2023, while visiting India. This heartbreaking incident occurred after the Australian government took custody of her children, citing concerns over her ability to care for them under local child protection laws.
Following Priyadarshini’s death, her father, Professor SS Desai, expressed his desire to bring his grandchildren back to Dharwad and care for them. With the help of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who intervened and spoke with Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, the Indian government successfully negotiated with the Australian authorities to release the children from custody.
Amartya, aged 17, had developed health issues in Australia and underwent treatment there, which unfortunately did not yield the desired results and led to complications. This situation prompted Priyadarshini to file a complaint against the treating doctor, resulting in the custody issue.
On Saturday, Professor Desai, accompanied by his grandchildren, met Pralhad Joshi at his residence in Hubballi to express gratitude for the support extended by the Indian government in reuniting the family.