In an unfortunate series of events a 5 year-old Saroo Brierley found himself stranded on a train travelling very far away from home. He had fallen asleep on the train waiting for his brother and when he woke he found he could not open the doors. When he was finally released he had no idea where he was. After weeks of struggling alone on the streets in a strange land Saroo was reported as a missing child. He was eventually adopted by an Australian family and had a typical Australian upbringing.

Even after 25 years his memories about his life and family in India were strong. He never gave up hope of finding them again. In 2011 an idea came to him. Using Google Earth he began searching the landscape, using the train tracks and stations as his guide, in the area he was found. He systematically traced back his steps using childhood memories and calculations of time and speed in an attempt to locate his home town. To learn how the story ends, check out the amazing videos below.