  We present Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) observations of redshifted
21-cm absorption from the $z=0.437$ metal line absorption system towards PKS
1243-072. HI absorption is clearly detected; the absorption profile has a
velocity spread of $\sim 20$ km/s. Detection of 21-cm absorption indicates that
the absorber has an HI column density large enough to be classified as a damped
Lyman-$\alpha$ system. Follow up ground based optical imaging and spectroscopy
allow us to identify the absorber with an $L \sim L^\star$ galaxy at an impact
parameter of $\sim 9.8$ kpc from the line of sight to the QSO. The absorbing
galaxy is unusual in that it has bright emission lines. On the basis of the
optical spectrum we are unable to uniquely classify the galaxy since its
emission line ratios lie in the transition region between starburst and Seyfert
II type spectra.
