'Couldn't Touch Kirti Chakra': Captain Anshuman Singh's Parents Want Change in ‘Next of Kin' Rule

New Delhi: Days after their son, Captain Anshuman Singh, was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra—India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award—his parents have called for a revision of the Indian Army’s ‘Next of Kin’ (NOK) policy. This policy determines the financial assistance provided to the family of a deceased army personnel.

In an interview with a leading TV channel, Ravi Pratap Singh and Manju Singh, the parents of the late officer, expressed their concerns about the current NOK rules. They argue that the policy unfairly benefits their daughter-in-law, Smriti Singh, who now receives most of the entitlements but does not reside with them. The Singhs have requested a reassessment of the policy to better reflect the needs of the deceased’s immediate family.

“The criteria set for NOK are incorrect. I have also spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about this. Anshuman's wife does not live with us anymore; their marriage was only five months old, and they had no children. Although we are co-recipients of his Kirti Chakra, we only have our son's photo with a garland on the wall,” Ravi Pratap Singh told the news channel.

He added, “We want the NOK definition to be revised so that the martyr’s wife must reside with his family, who now depend on him.” 

Anshuman’s mother, Manju Singh, stressed their plea for policy changes to prevent similar situations for other parents in the future.

Current NOK Policy

Under the current policy, when a person joins the army, their parents or guardians are listed as the ‘Next of Kin.’ However, upon marriage, the spouse replaces the parents in the NOK records, which influences the distribution of entitlements and financial support.

‘Couldn’t Touch Kirti Chakra'

Captain Anshuman Singh’s parents also claimed that they were not even allowed to touch their son's Kirti Chakra.

Recounting their distressing experience, Ravi Pratap Singh said,"We arranged Anshuman’s marriage to Smriti with his consent. After the wedding, she moved to stay with my daughter in Noida. When we were informed of Anshuman’s death on July 19, 2023, we called them to Lucknow. We then traveled to Gorakhpur for his last rites. However, after the tehravi (a funeral ritual), Smriti insisted on returning to Gurdaspur,” he said.

The Singhs allege that Smriti has taken their son’s war honors, including the Kirti Chakra, and personal belongings to her home in Gurdaspur, leaving them with nothing but a photo of their son. They are demanding a fair distribution of entitlements and benefits, arguing that the current NOK policy is unfair.

Ravi Pratap Singh also claimed that Smriti altered the permanent address listed in their son’s official documents from Lucknow to Gurdaspur, ensuring that all correspondence related to him is sent to her.

Captain Singh, posted with 26 Punjab as a medical officer had sacrificed his life while rescuing his colleagues at an Indian Army camp in the Siachen glacier