Man from Netherlands searching for ‘lost love’

BAREILLY: In 2013, an interest in Buddhism and the mystic aura of the temple town of Varanasi brought human rights activist Richard Huis Veld from Netherlands to India. Five years later, he is in the country yet again. This time with a different mission — to trace the love of his life he met in the temple town.

49-year-old Veld reached Bareilly on December 18 looking for Vaishali Ambedkar, a private school teacher who he knows only by the name. He met Ambedkar in February 2013 and fell in love with her in three days. When he returned to his country, they exchanged phone numbers and e-mail IDs, and a vow to never lose touch. “Vaishali promised that she will marry me. We remained in touch for five months but she suddenly stopped talking to me. Five years later, I am in Bareilly to look for her as I can’t forget the beautiful bond we shared,” said Richard, who has so far contacted 20 private schools in the city but to no avail. He added that he has travelled to various locations in the city looking for her but was turned away everywhere.

Richard even approached additional district magistrate (city) OP Verma on Tuesday for help. The ADM said, “Richard could not provide the address of the woman or the name of the school where she teaches. It is difficult to trace the woman only by her name.”

“My tourist visa expires on January 7. I hope I will be able to trace her by then,” he added.