Mrs. Saroj Sood Character Analysis in A Long Way Home

Mrs. Sood founded the ISSA adoption agency in Calcutta in 1975 after facilitating one adoption within India and one adoption by a Swedish woman. She received a law degree in New Delhi and was trained in social work by the order founded by Mother Teresa. As the head of ISSA, Mrs. Sood has facilitated the adoptions of around 2,000 Indian children by the time Saroo reconnects with her at age 30. She initially tries to reconnect Saroo with his birth family when he comes into her care in 1987. When they prove impossible to find, she arranges for Saroo to be adopted by the Brierleys in Tasmania. After Saroo reconnects with Mrs. Sood, he begins assisting monetarily with repairs on the Nava Jeevan orphanage she founded.

Mrs. Saroj Sood Character Timeline in A Long Way Home

The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Saroj Sood appears in A Long Way Home. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...is taken to the children’s court in Calcutta, where he’s released into the care of Mrs. Saroj Sood and the Indian Society for Sponsorship and Adoption (ISSA). Saroo feels safe with Mrs. Sood... (full context)

Survival, Poverty, and Childhood Theme Icon

After a few weeks, Mrs. Sood tells Saroo that since they cannot find Kamla, they’re going to try to find him... (full context)

...different orphanage board a plane bound for Australia. Saroo is sad to say goodbye to Mrs. Sood , but his excitement at flying on a plane soon takes the place of any... (full context)

...happy to be in their new homes. Later that year, Saroo even gets to see Mrs. Sood again when she accompanies another adoptee to Hobart. (full context)

...children can only remain at ISSA for two months. Because he did have known parents, Mrs. Sood struggled to make Mantosh available for adoption. He went to Liluah, where he was physically... (full context)

...meets up with a translator and takes a taxi to the ISSA office to visit Mrs. Sood . The office looks exactly as it did when Saroo was a child, and Mrs.... (full context)

Saroo explains that Mrs. Sood has been helping children for 37 years, and has arranged about 2,000 adoptions. She was... (full context)

...lucky to have survived in Kolkata for several days, let alone weeks. Finally, Saroo bids Mrs. Sood goodbye. He gets back in the taxi with Mrs. Medhora and the interpreter to visit... (full context)

...a place, but the paperwork takes time. Saroo says he’s also dedicating time to helping Mrs. Sood . He’s providing money for repairs on the Nava Jeevan orphanage, and he wants to... (full context)