Siachen hero’s parents want change in ‘next of kin’ criteria as wife gets most entitlements

NEW DELHI: Parents of Captain Anshuman Singh, a medical officer in Indian Army who died saving lives and critical medical equipment during a fire at a camp in Siachen last year, has demanded changes in Indian Army’s ‘next of kin (NOK)’ criteria for financial assistance to family members in case of a soldier’s death.

Captain’s wife Smriti Singh and mother Manju Singh recently received the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest gallantry honour, from President Droupadi Murmu for his “act of conspicuous gallantry and sacrifice”.

Next of kin means a person’s spouse, adopted family member or closest living blood relative. When a person joins the Army, his parents or guardians’ names are recorded as NOK. When that cadet or officer gets married, under Army rules, the name of the person’s spouse is recorded as the person’s NOK instead of the parents.

Captain’s father Ravi Pratap Singh and mother Manju Singh, in an interview to a TV channel, said they want change in NOK rules as their daughter-in-law Smriti Singh doesn’t live with them any more and she has changed her address (in office records) and that she now receives most entitlements after their son’s death.

“The criteria set to NOK is not correct. I have also spoken to defence minister Rajnath Singh about this. Anshuman’s wife doesn’t live with us now, the marriage was just five months old and there is no child. Though we are the co-recipient of Kirti Chakra. We now just have a photo of our son hanging on the wall with a garland on it. We can’t place the Kriti Chakra on his photo as his wife took it away,” Singh said.

Captain Anshuman’s father said some rules were changed after the 1999 Kargil War for the dead soldier’s dependents. Similarly, the NOK rules should be revisited. He also claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also assured them that he would take up the matter with the defence minister.

Captain Singh’s mother said they want govt to revisit the NOK rules so that parents like them and dependents of the dead soldiers don’t have to suffer in future.