Ravi Pratap Singh, Anshuman’s father, has called for changes to the ‘next of kin’ law, which determines inheritance and the recipient of medical updates if someone dies intestate.
The parents of Captain Anshuman Singh, who was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, have raised concerns over their daughter-in-law, Smriti, taking the gallantry award and his personal belongings to her home in Gurdaspur, Punjab. This includes his photo album, clothes, and other cherished memories.
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Captain Singh, a member of the Army Medical Corps, died heroically while rescuing people from a significant fire in Siachen in July of the previous year. His wife, Smriti, accompanied by his mother, Manju Singh, accepted the prestigious Kirti Chakra from President Droupadi Murmu on July 5 during a formal investiture ceremony.
Ravi Pratap Singh, Anshuman’s father, claimed that Smriti also changed the permanent address on his son’s official documents from Lucknow to Gurdaspur, ensuring that all future correspondence regarding Anshuman would be directed to her.
Ravi Pratap Singh has called for changes to the ‘next of kin’ law, which determines inheritance and the recipient of medical updates if someone dies intestate. He emphasized that the rules should be amended to ensure that parents also receive assistance and other benefits provided by the government, alongside the spouse of the deceased.
Additionally, he suggested that the government should provide a replica of military honors, such as the Kirti Chakra, to the parents as well as the spouse, so that they too can honor and cherish their son’s memory.
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“We married Anshuman to Smriti with his consent. After their wedding, she lived with my daughter in Noida. When we received news of Anshuman’s death on July 19, 2023, I called them to Lucknow, and we traveled to Gorakhpur for his last rites. After the tehravi (a funeral ritual), Smriti insisted on returning to Gurdaspur,” Ravi Pratap Singh recounted.
“The next day, she went to Noida with her mother and took Anshuman’s photo album, clothes, and other belongings,” he added.
‘Could Not Even Touch Kirti Chakra’
Ravi Pratap Singh further lamented that he was unable to even hold the Kirti Chakra awarded to his son by the President on July 5.
“When Anshuman was awarded the Kirti Chakra, his mother and wife went to receive the honor. The President recognized my son’s sacrifice, but I couldn’t even touch the medal once,” Ravi Pratap Singh stated.
Recalling the ceremony, Captain Anshuman Singh’s mother, Manju, said, “On July 5, I attended the award ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan with Smriti. Upon the insistence of Army officers, I held the Kirti Chakra for a photo. But after that, Smriti took the Kirti Chakra from my hands.”
Ravi Pratap also claimed that when the government decided to install a statue in memory of Captain Anshuman Singh, he reached out to Smriti and her father, requesting that they bring the Kirti Chakra for the unveiling ceremony. He received no response.
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Captain Anshuman Singh, hailing from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to his wife, Smriti Singh, and his mother, Manju Singh, at Rashtrapati Bhawan on July 5.
Captain Anshuman, the eldest son of his parents, was posted as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier area. He died from severe burns and injuries sustained during a fire accident in July of the previous year. He had heroically rescued fellow Army officers trapped in a fiberglass hut but lost his life when the fire spread to a medical investigation shelter.