The Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, was posthumously awarded to Captain Anshuman Singh, who tragically lost his life while rescuing people from a major fire in Siachen in July last year. His wife, Smriti, along with her mother-in-law Manju Singh, claimed the award and took it to their home in Punjab’s Gurdaspur, along with his photo album, clothes, and other cherished memories.
During an interview with Source, Ravi Pratap Singh, the father of Captain Anshuman Singh, mentioned that his daughter-in-law had altered the permanent address on her son’s official records from Lucknow to Gurdaspur. This change was made to guarantee that all communication regarding his son would be directed to her.
The father emphasized the need for a revision in the ‘next of kin’ law, which dictates the inheritance of assets and receipt of medical updates in the absence of a will. Pratap Singh expressed his view to India Today that adjustments should be made to the support amount and other benefits offered by the government to ensure that parents are eligible for them in addition to the martyr’s wife. Furthermore, he urged the government to present replicas of military honors, like the Kirti Chakra, to the parents as well as the wife, enabling them to hold onto the memories of their son.
Anshuman and Smriti were united in marriage with his approval. Following the ceremony, she resided with my daughter in Noida. Upon learning of Anshuman’s passing on July 19, 2023, I summoned them to Lucknow, and we proceeded to Gorakhpur for his final rites. However, following the tehravi ceremony, Smriti expressed her desire to return to Gurdaspur,” Ravi Pratap Singh stated. “The next day, she departed for Noida with her mother, taking along the photo album, clothing, and other possessions of Anshuman,” he continued.
Could Not Even Touch Kirti Chakra
Ravi Pratap Singh further claimed he couldn’t even hold the Kirti Chakra awarded to his son by the President on July 5.
“When the Kirti Chakra was awarded to Anshuman, his mother and wife went to receive the honour. The President honoured my son’s sacrifice with the Kirti Chakra, but I couldn’t even touch it once,” Ravi Pratap Singh said.
Recalling the award ceremony, Captain Anshuman Singh’s mother Manju said, “On July 5, I attended the award ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan with Smriti. When we were leaving the event, upon the insistence of Army officers, I held the Kirti Chakra for a photo once. But after that, Smriti took the Kirti Chakra from my hands.”
Ravi Pratap also alleged that when the government decided to install a statue in memory of Captain Anshuman Singh, he messaged Smriti and her father to at least bring the Kirti Chakra for the unveiling ceremony.
“But there was no response,” Ravi Pratap Singh claimed.
Notably, Captain Anshuman, who belonged to Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria, was posthumously honoured with the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to his wife Smriti Singh and mother Manju Singh at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 5.
The soldier, who was his parents’ eldest son, was posted as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier area, and died after suffering severe burns and injuries in a fire accident in July last year.
Captain Anshuman rescued fellow Army officers stuck in a fibreglass hut but lost his life after getting trapped when the fire spread to a medical investigation shelter.