Janardan Mahto, a labourer from a village in Bihar, is on a plane to New Delhi.


It's a first for Mahto, a labourer, who has never been inside a plane.


Excited, he may be, but it's what awaits him at the end of the journey that's been really top of mind.  


He will be meeting a young girl called Geeta, after 16 years, who he thinks is his long-lost daughter.


Mahto is being flown on the invitation of union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.


Geeta, a deaf-mute Indian woman has been living in Pakistan after accidentally crossing the border to Pakistan over a decade ago, is on her way back to India.


Mahto, in his late 50s, had claimed two months ago after watching Geeta on TV, that he was her father and her real name was Hira. He is also a father of five sons and two daughters.


"It's a miracle for me that I will finally get  to meet my daughter, who disappeared without a trace so many years ago" he said. According to him, Geeta went missing from Kartarpur near Jalandhar, where she had gone to a 'Baisakhi fair in 2004, when Mahto was working as a daily wage labourer in Punjab.


Mahto said he is ready for any test including a DNA test to verify his claims. "My family, villagers and people in a dozen neighbouring villages, are happy that I am going to bring her back," Mahto said.


Mahto thanked the central government and state government for making his visit to Delhi possible.


Manoj Kumar, an official of the Bihar government, who is accompanying Mahto to Delhi, said, "My job is to go along with Mahto to Delhi. After reaching Delhi, government agencies will help him'."


Mahto said that there will be a big celebration in his village -- Kabira Dhap in Saharsa district -- when he returns with Geeta.


The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier said the Indian authorities narrowed the search down to three families who claimed they were Geeta's kin and had sent photographs of them to her for identification. 

-- MI Khan/Rediff.com

Pic: Janardan Mahto (in a turban) heads to Delhi to meet Geeta.


Read this report if you are not familiar with Geeta's story.