Gift of the Givers Confirms Sulosh Pillay Safe in Tibet Amid Nepal Flood Crisis
- Gift of the Givers confirmed that South African Sulosh Pillay is safe at a retreat in Tibet following catastrophic Nepal-Tibet border floods
- Sulosh is one of seven South Africans found safe, but six others from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route remain unaccounted for
- Gift of the Givers has an 11-member search and rescue team on standby as families of the missing wait for news
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Source: Facebook
South African humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers confirmed on 29 August 2026 that Sulosh Pillay is safe in Tibet following devastating flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Pillay, pictured in red, is currently at a retreat in Tibet alongside six other South Africans and Mohanji, a spiritual leader in white. Gift of the Givers confirmed that both Pillay and Mohanji are known to the organisation.
In a Facebook update, the organisation said Pillay is in direct communication with them from Tibet and has offered to assist in locating the six South Africans who are still missing.
Six South Africans still missing after Nepal floods
The Nepal-Tibet disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, killing over 500 people and leaving hundreds unaccounted for. Most of the missing South Africans were travelling on the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route when flooding struck.
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Gift of the Givers identified the six missing citizens as Terricia Govender (33) from Isipingo Beach in KwaZulu-Natal; the married couple Surendranath Maharaj (74) and Anitha Devi Maharaj (67) from Ladysmith; the married couple Vivaganathan Pillay (66) and Janet Pillay (56), also from Ladysmith; and Bavikaben Ramjee (43) from East London.
Gift of the Givers has an 11-member team of urban and water search-and-rescue specialists, along with K9 handlers, on standby pending official international clearance to deploy. Rescue efforts on the ground remain severely hampered by destroyed roads and mudslides that workers have described as resembling "liquid concrete."
Confusion and questions in the comments
The announcement on the Facebook page sparked a wave of questions from the public, with many unsure whether Sulosh Pillay's confirmed safety meant all six missing South Africans had been found.
@Dena-Maree De Grooth asked:
"Does this mean all South Africans who were missing are accounted for, including Terricia Govender? Please confirm."
@Sasha Naidoo wrote:
"So all six SA members that were missing have been found??" listing all six names in her comment.
@Nashira Patel asked:
"In these six that were found, is Bhavika Ramjee one of them?"
@Karishma Veeriah said:
"Mohanji's both groups are all safe and accounted for."
@Iqbal Essack clarified:
"From the comments, it would seem that the Mohanji's group members are safe, having crossed the bridge a few days earlier. The group that is unaccounted for still remains the focus of the search."
@Luyanda Mncedi Mda wrote:
"Save lives #GiftoftheGivers and God bless you all, we are with you and Nepal."
Gift of the Givers confirmed it will continue sharing updates as more information becomes available.
See the original Gift of the Givers post below:
More on South Africans missing in Nepal
- Briefly News recently reported that Gift of the Givers identified six South Africans missing after catastrophic Nepal floods and placed an 11-member search and rescue team on standby.
- A 3D model showed how a devastating glacier collapse triggered catastrophic flooding in the Himalayas, sparking debate about what caused the disaster.
- Terricia Govender’s mother is holding onto hope for her missing daughter after revealing a heartbreaking detail about the last place she was seen.
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Source: Briefly News
