Nepal floods: Family begins search for Himachal engineer with Upper Trishuli hydel plant

The family has appealed to the Una district administration and the Himachal government to extend all possible assistance and coordinate with the Nepalese authorities to trace Sukhvinder Rattan.

3 min readShimlaAug 29, 2026 03:03 PM IST

Missing site engineer Sukhvinder Rattan at Trishuli Hydropower project in Nepal. (Express photo/Special Arrangement)

A last phone call on August 25, a day before the tragedy struck Nepal, and a promise that he would return in November to celebrate Diwali with his family are now the memories keeping alive the hope of finding 30-year-old engineer Sukhvinder Rattan of Himachal Pradesh’s Una district.

Rattan, a site engineer working at the 216-MW Upper Trishuli Hydropower Project in Nepal, has been missing since the flash floods and subsequent disaster swept through the area on August 26. His elder brother, Varinder Rattan, returned from Dubai after learning that his younger brother was missing and has reached Kathmandu along with their cousin Shubham to search for him.

The Upper Trishuli Hydropower plant that supplies electricity to India was among the several power plants hit by Wednesday’s flash floods triggered by a collapsing glacier in the Himalayan region.

Back at their native home in Una, Saravjit Kaur, wife of the missing engineer, said her husband had been working at the Trishuli Hydropower Project for the past three years. The couple got married in 2023 and has a one-and-a-half-year-old son, Mevansh.

“My husband had planned to come to India a day before Raksha Bandhan on August 26, but he had to change his plan because my mother-in-law, Rakesh Devi, was unwell. He came to India in the first week of August and returned to Nepal on August 14. He assured me that he would come back in November for Diwali,” she said.

Before moving to Nepal in 2022, Rattan was working in Chhattisgarh. After marriage, Kaur had accompanied her husband to Nepal on three occasions. “I always told him to remain cautious because the Upper Trishuli area was prone to landslides and other natural calamities,” Kaur said.

She said Rattan was staying in rented accommodation in Rasuwa district. Rattan’s father, Hussan Lal Rattan, 70, is a retired CISF personnel.

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Family members said Varinder Rattan and Shubham reached Kathmandu on Friday afternoon. They initially wanted to travel to the affected area but were asked to remain at an Army rescue centre, where relatives of missing persons have been reporting and seeking information.

Shubham has also appealed to the Una district administration and the state government to extend all possible assistance and coordinate with the Nepalese authorities to trace Rattan.

Ishant Jaswal, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Una, said the administration had received information about Rattan from Basdehra missing in Nepal.

“As per the established protocol, the information was shared with the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs through the appropriate channels. The administration is coordinating with the Centre, which is in touch with the Nepalese government to trace him,” Jaswal said.

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Family members said they were trying to gather information about Sukhvinder through the Nepal Army and other available resources, as the flood-affected area is under the control of the Nepal Army.

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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