Only blessings for my son says mother of Capt Goyal

Dehradun, Nov 26 (UNI) For Ms Kamlesh Goyal, there was no gift more priceless than blessing her son Captain Prabhat Goyal as he returned to his Guru Tegh Bahadur residence here after being held hostage for 63 days by Somalian pirates.

''I have only a heart filled with blessings and love to gift my son,'' the 65-year-old Ms Kamlesh told UNI.

There is nothing more priceless than blessings that a mother can give to her child, she added.

It was a journey from despair to jubilation for the family of M T Stolt Valor Capt Goyal when the news came in that the hijacked cargo vessel and crew had been freed from the clutches of Somalian pirates.

Stolt Valor was hijacked by Somalian pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen on September 15 when it was on its way from Suez to Mumbai when 22 crew members, including 18 Indians were on board.

Recalling the struggle, Ms Kamlesh said she and her husband R K Goyal did not lose hope of their son being freed and provided a pillar of strength to their daughter-in-law Seema, who brought the matter to the notice of several politicians.

When asked whether she would allow her son to sail again, Ms Kamlesh said the decision was not her's to make.

''As a mother, my responsibility was to bring up my children and educate them. Prabhat and Seema will decide the next step accordingly,'' she said.

UNI PB AE HS1735