An aerial view of damaged buildings in the flood-affected zone in Nepal
Seven years ago, when he lost his wife, the infant and his mother stayed at our house for two months.
We are all praying for a miracle,” said Basu, who is in touch with Sanyal’s wife. “He is family. The girl is now seven. Now, the child’s father has walked into this tragedy.
Jayanta remarried late last year, and we were so glad they were a complete family again.
Kolkata: As staffers of Chalo Jaai Travel Club spent a second day seeking information on the 32 missing team members, including tour manager Jayanta Sanyal, the travel firm’s founder and owner, Dibyojyoti Basu, recalled how the group to Kailash-Mansarovar had narrowly escaped a flash flood in 2025. The trip had resumed in June 2025 after a five-year hiatus. On July 8, barely a few hours after our group, managed by Jayanta, had crossed the Friendship Bridge over Trishuli river, a flash flood swept the bridge away.
But it is only after Wednesday’s tragedy that I realise how lucky we had been,” Basu said. The yatra was halted thereafter,” Basu said. Chinese personnel were asked to withdraw to a safe area, state broadcaster CCTV said. Basu said he felt particularly hamstrung by Sanyal’s absence. He managed the Kailash-Mansarovar trip and knew several Nepalese and Chinese officials and agents,” Basu said.
We knew it had been a close call. “That flood, too, was caused by monsoon rain and a likely glacial lake outburst. A lake formed by a landslide on the Nepal-China border began overflowing, forcing rescue operations to stop. Nepal authorities also paused rescue work for an hour and a half. At the Chalo Jaai office on Ho Chi Minh Sarani, staffers continued to hope. “Jayanta is our star manager. Sanyal, a former cameraman on an investigative TV programme helmed by Basu, had switched to the travel trade after Basu founded Chalo Jaai Travel Club. A resident of Tarakeshwar, he quickly established himself as one of the most resourceful members of the team.
“Last year, we were among the first groups to get clearance for the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra.