Aparna Mishra , mother of Gyanendra Mishra (right), at her home in Kendrapada. Telegraph pictures

Kendrapara, March 16: The massive earthquake and the tsunami that followed have ravaged a nation but failed to tear apart a bond that has its roots in Orissa.

Japan-based Gyanendra Mishra was all set to leave Nagoya for Kendrapara in a day or two. However, the young software engineer responded to the call of friendship and put off his plan to return to India.

Mishra, who is from Banahara village near Kendrapara town, decided to stay back and help his colleague, Jitendra Moharana, whose wife is in an advanced stage of pregnancy.

“Jitendra Moharana is posted in the Tokyo office of Satyam Infosys, the same company for which my son works,” said Aparna Mishra, mother of Gyanendra .

“As there is an impending fear of emission of radioactive substance from the explosions that have taken place in the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, my son asked them to move over to his place. My son is now playing host to his friend, his spouse and mother-in-law,” added Gyanendra’s mother. “It was unsafe for Moharana’s family to stay in Tokyo because of possible toxic emission. Doctors have also advised against flying her to India as the arduous journey could turn risky for the woman,” said Gyanendra’s father Rabindra Mohan Mishra quoting his son’s telephonic conversation.

“I am a proud mother. It’s good to note that my son is helping his friend when it matters most. Although he has risked the life of his own family in the process, I still pray to god that both my son and his friend’s family are safe,” said Aparna.

“Both the families are living under constant threat of nuclear radiation. Although my son, daughter-in-law and three-year-old grandson are living at a comparative safer place, which is at least 600km away from the tsunami-struck nuclear installations, air-borne radiation threat stays everywhere,” said Rabindra. “Today morning, he told me over phone that his company has issued advisories to its overseas employees to go back to their home. However, both the families have planned to come back to Orissa after the child is born,” said Aparna.