Lasse Lund
Lasse Lund | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lasse Jonas Lund 1992 (age 33–34) |
| Citizenship |
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| Known for | Claims about his childhood in Mumbai and Finnish consular assistance |
Lasse Jonas Lund (born 1992) is a Finnish-Norwegian man who received media attention in 2026 after posting videos on YouTube about his claimed childhood in Mumbai, India. His account has been disputed by his mother, while Finland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs said that the Finnish embassy in Delhi should have contacted child welfare authorities in connection with his case.[1]
Biography
Lund was born in Norway in 1992 and is a dual citizen of Finland and Norway. His mother is Finnish and his father is Norwegian.[1] In an interview with Danish newspaper Berlingske, both Lund and his mother describes his parents' lifestyle as "alternative".[2] On Youtube Lund claims that his father was a "DJ / drug dealer" and his mother was a "stoner" and that when he met his father, he was still selling drugs in Norway.[3] Lund has said that he lived in India as a child, including in and around Dharavi.[1]
Lund said his parents moved to Goa, India, in 1996 when he was five years old. In Goa, Lund's parents separated and Lund's mother had a daughter. Lund's brother and father moved back to Norway, while Lund stayed behind with his mother and sister. According to Lund, his mother was arrested in 2003 and several times after that as well. Both Lund and his mother claim that, in 2008, Lund's mother was imprisoned for one year and eight months because she did not have a passport.[2] During this time, Lund claims he lived on the streets, while his mother claims he stayed with friends of the family until he left India in 2009 on a passport he received from the Finnish embassy in Delhi.[2] Yle reported that ministry records showed Lund's case came to the attention of the Finnish embassy in Delhi in 2008, when he was still underage. The broadcaster also reported that his mother denied that he had been abandoned and said parts of his story were fabricated.[1]
Upon arriving in Norway, he moved in with his father. Today Lund lives some distance away from Oslo with his son, whose mother is also Norwegian. Lund no longer speaks with his parents.[2]
In 2026, Lund attracted attention on social media after speaking publicly about his childhood. Vice interviewed him in June 2026, and Indian outlets including The Economic Times and Mumbai Mirror also covered his account.[4][5][6]
Helsingin Sanomat and Berlingske received a statement from the director for the consulary department at the Finnish Foreign ministry, Jussi Tanner where Lund's case is described as "exceptional" and that there is no reason to "doubt the essense of the story".[2]
In June 2026, in a Youtube documentary about his life, he claimed that he found out his father was sending money to India and that his Indian friends merely exploited him for said money.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Leppänen, Mikko (19 June 2026). "Suomalais-norjalainen Lasse Lund sanoo eläneensä lapsena kadulla Intiassa, äiti syyttää huijariksi" [Finnish-Norwegian Lasse Lund says he lived on the street in India as a child, mother accuses him of fraud]. Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sjöberg, Alexander (15 August 2026). "Mange troede, at Lasses liv i slummen var løgn. I dag raser et opgør om sandheden" [Many thought that Lasse's life in the slums was a lie. Today a battle for the truth rages]. Berlingske (in Danish). pp. 22–23. Retrieved 15 August 2026.
- ↑ lasse jonas lund (1 June 2026). 10k special Q&A video | Lasse J Lund #unexpected #biopic #reallifestory #mumbai #lost #jimin. 9 minutes in. Retrieved 25 August 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Smith, Adam Christopher (1 June 2026). "'There's Nothing Fake About My Story': An Interview With Lasse Lund, the Norwegian With an Indian Accent". Vice. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- ↑ "Norwegian man, who was abandoned by parents in India and grew up in Mumbai slum, reveals the number one lesson he learned: 'I will never say no...'". The Economic Times. 1 June 2026. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- ↑ Alves, Genesia (12 June 2026). "Is Lasse Lund the spirit of Mumbai?". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- ↑ lasse jonas lund (7 June 2026). Norwegian boy left in Mumbai | pt. 3.2. 6 minutes in. Retrieved 25 August 2026 – via YouTube.