Ex-armyman offers ₹21,000 reward, fasts for missing pet parakeet 'Tota Gopi' in MP
Synopsis
A retired soldier in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, has raised the reward for his missing parakeet 'Gopi' to ₹21,000 and declared a fast until the bird returns — a deeply personal appeal that has gone viral and turned a small-town family's grief into a community search effort.
Key Takeaways
Chandan Mishra , a retired army personnel from Sohagpur, Shahdol , is searching for his pet parakeet 'Tota Gopi' , which flew away on Saturday afternoon .
The family raised the reward from ₹11,000 to ₹21,000 by Sunday to help recover the bird.
Mishra has declared he will observe a fast until Gopi returns safely.
The green parakeet has a black ring around its neck , can imitate family voices, and was brought from Amarkantak, Anuppur district about a year ago.
The family plans to hold a havan-pujan and has circulated identification posters on social media, which have gone viral.
A retired army personnel from Sohagpur in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh, has announced a reward of ₹21,000 for anyone who helps reunite him with his pet parakeet, 'Tota Gopi', which flew away on Saturday afternoon. The emotional appeal, shared through a video message, has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread sympathy and shares across the region.
How Gopi Went Missing
Chandan Mishra, who resides near the Banganga Mela ground under the Sohagpur police station area, had brought the young parakeet from Amarkantak in neighbouring Anuppur district roughly a year ago. On Saturday, younger members of the family were playing with the bird when it suddenly took flight and disappeared. The family waited near evening, hoping it would return on its own, before launching an intensive search across neighbouring rooftops, trees, and surrounding areas — all without success.
The Reward and the Fast
The Mishra family initially announced a reward of ₹11,000, which they raised to ₹21,000 by Sunday in a desperate bid to recover the bird. Visibly emotional in his video message, Chandan Mishra declared he would observe a fast until Gopi returns safely. The family has also contacted a local pundit and plans to organise a havan-pujan — a religious ritual — seeking the bird's safe homecoming.
Identifying 'Tota Gopi'
Affectionately called both 'Gopi' and 'Mitthu', the green parakeet has a distinctive black ring around its neck and unique feathers on its back. According to Mishra, the bird can imitate the voices of family members and speak a few words. These identifying traits and sounds have been detailed in posters circulated on social media to help the public recognise the bird if spotted.
Viral Appeal and Community Response
The heartfelt video and reward posters have drawn significant attention online, with many users sharing them in the hope that someone spots the talkative parakeet. The story reflects the deep emotional bonds that families, including those with a military background, form with their pets. This comes amid a broader trend of social-media-driven community searches for missing animals gaining traction across small-town India.
Whether Gopi is found will now depend on the reach of the viral appeal — and the watchful eyes of residents across Sohagpur and beyond.
Point of View
When authentic, can travel just as fast and far. What is notable here is the escalation: a reward doubled overnight, a fast declared, a havan planned. For Mishra, a man trained in discipline and duty, this level of public vulnerability speaks to how deeply companion animals are embedded in family life across all demographics. The story also quietly surfaces a gap — there is no structured community mechanism for recovering lost pets in rural and semi-urban India, making social media the only recourse.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Chandan Mishra and why is he in the news?
Chandan Mishra is a retired army personnel from Sohagpur in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh. He is in the news for offering a ₹21,000 reward and declaring a fast after his pet parakeet, 'Tota Gopi', flew away on Saturday afternoon.
What does the missing parakeet 'Tota Gopi' look like?
Gopi is a green parakeet with a black ring around its neck and distinctive feathers on its back. The bird can imitate family members' voices and speak a few words, and is also known by the name 'Mitthu'.
How much reward has the family announced for finding the bird?
The family initially announced a reward of ₹11,000, which was raised to ₹21,000 by Sunday in an effort to accelerate the search for the missing parakeet.
Where did the parakeet come from originally?
Chandan Mishra brought the young parakeet from Amarkantak in the neighbouring Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh about a year before it went missing.
What steps has the family taken to find the bird?
The family has searched rooftops, trees, and surrounding areas; released identification posters and a video on social media; contacted a local pundit; and plans to hold a havan-pujan. Mishra has also declared a fast until the bird returns.
