The Madras Bar Association (MBA) has written to the Chief Justice of India, the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of External Affairs to intensify efforts to trace retired Madras High Court judge V. Sivagnanam, who has been reported missing since August 26, 2026, in Nepal due to the devastating floods that have wreaked havoc in the country.

The association, in a letter signed jointly by president V.R. Kamalanathan and secretary J. Pothiraj, said he had served the district judiciary for nearly three decades before being elevated to the High Court in 2020 and retiring in 2025.

He was designated as a senior advocate by the Supreme Court pursuant to his retirement and had travelled to Nepal recently as part of a group of Tamil pilgrims when the floods hit the nation. The flash floods have, so far, claimed 903 lives, and as many as 4,247 people have been reported missing.

The Bar Association made an earnest request to intensify all possible efforts to trace the retired judge through the consular authorities and keep his family informed of the developments. It also insisted upon a dedicated point of contact for the family to obtain verified information from.