Determination and hope allowed a father to reunite with his son after 20 years. In an interesting emotional incident, Sukhpal Singh, a resident of Amritsar, was reunited with his son, Rin Takahata, from Japan after 20 years.
Rin, a 21-year-old student at Osaka University of Arts, decided to find his father as part of a college project to complete his family tree. He arrived in Amritsar on August 18 with just his father’s name, an old address, and some photographs his mother, Sachie Takahata, had kept. Locals on Fatehgarh Churian Road helped Rin locate his father’s new home on Loharka Road, leading to a heartfelt reunion just before Raksha Bandhan.
“I was at my in-law’s house for Raksha Bandhan when my brother called to tell me my son had come from Japan. I was shocked and hurried back home, asking my brother to take care of him,” Sukhpal said. “I can’t describe the feelings when we finally hugged each other,” he added.
Watch an emotional story of a Japanese son Rin Takahata who reunited with his Punjabi father in Punjab after 19 years. Sukhpal Singh from Amritsar had married a Japanese woman, but they separated when their son was just 2 years old.
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ رویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) August 24, 2024
Both Sukhpal and Rin had tried to find each other on social media before but had no luck. Rin explained, “I had a college assignment to create a family tree. I knew about my mother’s side but had no information about my father except his name, Sukhpal Singh. That motivated me to search for him and finally meet him.”
Sukhpal shared the story of his relationship with Rin’s mother. He met Sachie Takahata in Thailand, married her in Japan in 2002, and they lived in Chiba Ken, near Tokyo. “Rin was born in 2003, but our marriage faced challenges. I returned to India in 2004. Sachie came to India the same year, and we both went back to Japan. However, despite trying to make things work, misunderstandings continued. I eventually left, started living separately, and returned to India in 2007. Later, I married Gurvinderjit Kaur, and we have a daughter, Avleen Pannu,” Sukhpal said.
When Sukhpal informed Sachie that their son was with him, she said, “Rin is an adult and can make his own decisions.”
On Raksha Bandhan, Avleen tied a rakhi on Rin, marking the beginning of a new sibling relationship, and Gurvinderjit welcomed Rin as her son.
Rin expressed his hope for his parents to meet again: “Of course, I want them to meet at least once.”
The Japanese student plans to visit Amritsar often. “I will regularly visit Amritsar and stay with my father and his family,” he said.
Their reunion story showcases the emotional challenges and the lasting strength of family bonds, bridging cultural and geographical gaps after 20 years apart.
