Anant Patel turned Coventry's match against Hull City into a personal tribute for his missing father, Bipin, before kickoff at the Coventry Building Society Arena. The 29-year-old placed his father's shirt and scarf on an empty seat in the North Stand as the family waits for news after the floods and landslide in Nepal.
The North Stand tribute
Patel said the choice of seat was deliberate because his father had been a season ticket holder there. Speaking to the BBC, he said: "My dad is a season ticket holder in the North Stand, so I thought it would be fitting," and added that the scarf carried sentimental value because his father bought it for him as a souvenir at a Blackburn away game when Coventry secured their place in the Premier League.
Patel last heard from his parents on 25 August. Since the landslide news broke on Wednesday, he has not heard from them.
What happened in Nepal
Chinese authorities officially classified Bipin, 66, and Mala, 60, as missing after they crossed from Nepal into Tibet before a landslide struck the Gyirong border crossing last Wednesday. Patel said that classification gave only partial clarity. Speaking to the BBC, he said: "It is a step in the right direction for the full picture on what exactly has happened."
He also said faith has been part of how he is handling the wait. "I am doing my best to draw on my personal religious and spiritual philosophy to guide me through," he said.
Patel thanked stewards at Coventry's stadium for helping him place the tribute before the game. The gesture was simple, but it carried the weight of a family still waiting for answers.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
