The concept of online platforms helping to track down lost and found items - or people - is not new. Several such portals, some specialising in specific areas like missing vehicles or children, exist in countries across the globe. Yet, LostyaFound, an Indian initiative, deserves mention if only for the fact that it aims to locate anything and everything lost in any and every part of the country.
Its website carries a modest description of itself: "This website is just a platform to help people in finding their lost stuff", followed by a disclaimer, "The items posted here neither serve any legal purpose nor equivalent to a Police report."
Since its inception in August earlier this year, LostyaFound has seen a tremendous response, and already received 3,000 hits on their Facebook page and 1,000 unique visitors on their official site. From lost cell phones, backpacks, tiffin boxes to even a missing person in the Kashmir floods and a missing child, the site is an encouraging platform for a society which believes that losing an item in this country means losing it forever.
"Millions lose their belongings/loved ones every day in this country. In this ever-lasting crowd, finding that specific thing becomes a daunting task – and for the same reason, to help masses, to revolutionise how honesty has been portrayed in recent times, we launched this website," says Dolesh Agrawal, founder of LostyaFound.
A screenshot of the website.
A regular on Mumbai locals, Rahul Niketan lost his backpack on one while he was going to Mumbai Central to catch a train to Delhi. "I had a number of bags since I was going out of town. Upon getting down at Mumbai Central, I did a quick count and found one missing. I hope this platform will help me find my belongings," he said.
Statistics show that about 80 million pieces of luggage are lost at airports alone across the world. In India, the vast Railways and Road transportation network statistics are also added, and the figure is at an alarming high. In Mumbai, statistics show that about Rs 5-8 lakh worth of belongings are left in the BEST buses alone every year, most of them not making it back to the owners. A leading newspaper conducted a survey and found that cash amounting to about Rs 15 lakh was found in the BEST buses in the year 2012-2013.
"What we look forward to is, increasing our reach and spreading word to a maximum number of people. In terms of marketing, we are actively covering both online and offline spheres.," says Jagesh Agrawal, co-founder. To that effect, the team has conducted various campaigns in and around Mumbai, where they are based. For offline-promotions, stickers were put up on the backs of auto-rickshaws, buses and in other public transportation modes. Banners erected near flyovers, highways, bus stops and junctions, have increased their visibility and reach.
Banners and stickers advertising Lostyafound.
Rahul Dhariwal lost his wallet in an auto-rickshaw on the way to the Phoenix Mall in Lower Parel. "I have lost my wallet before, and till recently, the general idea was to forget, and start afresh in applying for credit cards and driving licenses. This start-up brings some hope for commuters who have lost their belongings."
There are other such online portals that provide similar services, the most notable being lostandfound.com, which operates in about 30 countries. Also known is missingvehicles.co.in. Two online platforms - missingindiankids.com and the Government of India portal trackthemissingchild.gov.in - are dedicated to locate children who are missing, lost, kidnapped or have run away.
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