An 82-year-old Chinese has been trapped in India for over half a century after accidentally crossing the border during the Sino-Indian War in 1963.

Wang Qi was an army surveyor when he wandered across the border and was captured decades ago. The veteran told the BBC that he has been unable to leave the country since then.

Wang, who also goes by the name Raj Bahadur, now speaks fluent Hindi and has a local wife, three Indian-born children and grandchildren. He told the BBC that he is desperate to reunite with his family back in Shaanxi.

Born to a family of farmers with four brothers and two sisters, Wang joined the People's Liberation Army in 1960. Wang's main duties with the PLA involved building roads for the Army.

Wang accidentally entered Indian territory in 1963 and was immediately captured. Of his arrest he said:

"I had gone out of my camp for a stroll but lost my way. I was tired and hungry. I saw a Red Cross vehicle and asked them to help me. They handed me over to the Indian army."

He was arrested for illegally intruding into the country. Indian authorities also claimed that he gave false information regarding his background and circumstances of his whereabouts. He was sent to jail for seven years before being released to a small town in the center of the country in 1969. He married his wife in 1975 after being pressured by friends.

While its unclear if Wang is considered a prisoner of war, he has been denied Indian citizenship and the chance to travel back to China.

Wang was finally able to receive a Chinese passport in 2013, thanks to the help of his nephew, who visited India as a tourist in 2009.

Zhao Jun, the director of the Consular at China's Embassy in India, said the government is aware of the situation and is trying to work with Indian authorities to bring him back home.

[Images via BBC]