Here's What Kirti Chakra Awardee's Parents Say On Indian Army's 'Next Of Kin' Policy

Days after their son was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, the parents of Captain Anshuman Singh have called for changes to the Indian Army's 'next of kin' (NOK) policy, as reported by Hindustan Times.

This policy provides financial assistance to family members in the event of an army personnel's death.

Kirti Chakra Awardee's Parents Speak Out on Army's 'Next of Kin' Policy

Ravi Pratap Singh and Manju Singh, the late officer's parents, have expressed their concerns to TV9 Bharatvarsh, stating that the NOK rules need to be revisited. Their daughter-in-law, Smriti Singh, currently receives most of the entitlements following Captain Anshuman's death, despite no longer living with them.

Captain Anshuman Singh tragically died while on duty in a fire incident in Siachen in July of the previous year.

"The criteria set for NOK are not correct. I have also spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding this. Anshuman's wife does not live with us now...their marriage was only five months old and they have no child. Though we are the co-recipients of his Kirti Chakra, we only have our son's photo hanging on the wall with a garland on it," Ravi Pratap Singh told the news channel.

He further emphasized the need to redefine NOK, suggesting that the martyr's wife should stay with his family, who now has significant dependency. "It should be decided that the martyr's wife must stay with his family, who now has much dependency," he added.

Manju Singh echoed these sentiments, stating that they are advocating for changes in the policy to prevent other parents from enduring similar suffering, as reported by Hindustan Times.

The current NOK rules state that when an individual joins the army, their parents or guardians are recorded as their 'next of kin,' meaning their closest relatives. However, once the individual marries, the spouse replaces the parents in the NOK record.

In summary, Ravi Pratap Singh and Manju Singh are appealing for a revision of the NOK policy, arguing that it should take into account the needs of the parents, especially in cases where the marriage was short-lived, and there are no children involved, as per media reports. They believe that ensuring the martyr's spouse stays with the family could better support those left behind and provide a more equitable distribution of benefits.