Saroo Brierly
Saroo us the protagonist and the author in this book. The memoir is told through his point of view, following him through his childhood in India to his new family and life in Australia. His determination and positive outlook on life are an inspiration that he shares with us through his story. Through his good instincts and sense of survival, five-year old Saroo manages to stay alive alone on the streets of Calcutta. He is adopted by an Australian couple that give him a loving home and support him in his mission to find out where his hometown and family is.
Mantosh Brierly
Mantosh is Saroo's brother in Australia who was also adopted from India by Sue and John Brierly. He comes from a troubled background and often exhibits symptoms of emotional and mental abuse. Mantosh is sometimes disrespectful to Sue and John and grows up a somewhat rebellious child. Mantosh and Saroo do not get along very well at first because of their different personalities and situations, but become closer over time.
Sue Brierly
Sue Brierly is Saroo's adoptive mother. She was able to have kids while her husband John, but chose not too and adopt a child from India instead. She decides to do this because she thinks that there are a lot of children who need parents and when she was younger she had a vision of herself holding a brown-skinned child's hand. When she was young, Sue's father was an alcoholic and lost all of the family's land and savings. Because of fraud he was later sent to jail. In spite of her family childhood trauma, Sue grows up to be a loving and caring mother for Saroo and Mantosh.
John Brierly
John Brierly is Sue's husband and the adoptive father of Saroo and Mantosh. He owns his own company where Saroo and Mantosh both spend time working. He is also a caring father and loving husband, and always takes care of and supports his family
Mrs. Sood
Mrs. Sood organized Saroo's adoption. When Saroo was first brought to the orphanage, she put out information about his whereabouts in the local papers in hopes of finding his family. When no one responded, she found a couple in Australia who was looking to adopt and organized for Saroo to join them. She also founded the ISSA foundation in Calcutta which facilitates the adoption of young children. As an adult, Saroo visits Mrs. Sood in Calcutta to thank her for all her hard work and her dedication in finding him a new family. He also now supports the ISSA foundation to help more children such as himself find a home.
Kamla
Kamla is Saroo's birth mother. She herself was a Hindu but married Saroo's father who was a Muslim, resulting in their family not being accepted by either group in their town. Saroo's father left the family just after his youngest sister was born after years of being abusive towards the family and married another woman. This put a strain on the family's living situation since Kamla now had to take care of and provide for four children. She worked on building sites carrying rocks and stones because she was a strong woman, but it wasn't enough to feed her family. Kamla is overjoyed to be reunited with her son twenty five years later after he was lost and thanks Sue Brierly for taking such good care of him and raising him into a young man.
Guddu
Guddu is Saroo's biological brother who was often away looking for a job or a way to obtain some food for their family. When Guddu takes Saroo with him to Berampur one night, he leaves Saroo asleep on the bench and never returns. He is later reported dead, found on the train tracks. That night was the last time Saroo ever saw his brother.
Kallu
Kallu is Saroo's other older brother. He is the oldest in the family, only fourteen years old. He was rarely at home since he would travel far away to look for a way to get money or food for his family. He is reunited with his brother Saroo years later.
Shekila
Shekila is the name of Saroo's little sister. Since she is only two years old, Saroo has to stay home to watch her all day as the rest of his family searches for food. He grows very close to her and is overjoyed to be reunited with her when he returns to India.
