He lost his wife and two kids in the last month's terror siege but showing determination and grit, general manager of Taj Mahal, responded to the call of duty as the iconic hotel reopened on Sunday.

"Karambir Kang is back to work today," an Indian Hotels spokesperson said.

In a tragic turn of events, Kang lost his family in the siege but that did not deter him from taking the initiative to rescue the lives of many horrified people at the hotel including staff and patrons.

He personally followed rescue operations at the hotel besides providing all help to security agencies. His wife Niti (38) and sons Samar (14) and Uday (5) were among the over 180 victims during the attacks in the metropolis.

And the irony was Kang was unaware of the fate of his family, who were put up on the sixth floor of the heritage building, for several hours.

Not to be cowed down, Kang was at the side of Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata when he came to inspect the hotel the day the encounter ended.

Forty-year-old Kang, who took charge as general manager of the Taj Mahal and Tower in November 2007, later took the ashes of his wife and children to his native place Mohali, where he remained closeted in the safe confines of his house.

"He has mustered courage and has returned to work today but is so grief-struck that he would not be able to speak to anyone," a Taj official said.

A friend and general manager of another five-star hotel said, "It (his coming back) speaks much about the man that he is. More than the re-opening of the hotel, the befitting reply to terrorists is his come back to work."