Why Martyr Anshuman Singh’s Parents Want Army’s Next Of Kin Norms Changed: The Rules & Row Over Aid For Spouse

Is there a need to revise the Indian Army’s NOK (Next of Kin) norm? NOK revision is in the news, especially after the aged parents of Captain Anshuman Singh, Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district resident who died in a fire incident at Siachen in July last year, said the existing rules prioritise spouse over parents after marriage, leading to hardships for the family.

On July 5, Anshuman was awarded Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry honour, posthumously. Anshuman’s mother Manju and wife Smriti received the award at the hands of President Droupadi Murmu.

Days after the event, the parents said financial assistance should be given not just to the martyr’s wife, but also to his parents. They also met Raebareli MP and leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, demanding change in the rules, which they say are “obsolete”.

ANSHUMAN SINGH’S PARENTS’ PLEA

“Barring a garlanded photo of my beloved son Anshuman, we are left with nothing, not even his belongings or service-related papers. It feels as if we were nowhere in Anshuman’s life. Our daughter-in-law took everything, including the Kirti Chakra, in which we were co-recipients. Don’t we have any right over our son’s belongings and the financial assistance given to our daughter-in-law in his name, as per the NoK norm? ” Ravi Pratap Singh, Singh’s father, who recently settled in Lucknow, said.

“We appeal to our government to reconsider these norms to ensure that parents of no martyr are abandoned in the future. It is heart-wrenching to be left without any connection to our son’s legacy. We need fair treatment and support for all family members to honour the sacrifice of brave soldiers and to prevent such injustice from happening to others,” he said.

Blaming their daughter-in-law, Singh said Anshuman’s wife not only abandoned them, but also changed Anshuman’s permanent address from Lucknow to Gurdaspur, to ensure she received all correspondence.

Anshuman and Smriti got married in their Lucknow home, where the family shifted in 2022. “We got Anshuman married to Smriti with his consent. After the wedding, she stayed with my daughter in Noida. On July 19, 2023, when we learned of Anshuman’s death, I called them to Lucknow, and we went to Gorakhpur for his last rites. After the tehravi (13th day rituals), Smriti insisted on going back to Gurdaspur. The next day, she went to Noida with her mother and took Anshuman’s photo album, clothes and other belongings with her,” Singh said.

Singh further claimed that she even didn’t give him enough time to see the Kirti Chakra or to touch it. “On returning from the award ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Smriti took the Chakra”.

THE AID

As tribute to martyr Anshuman, UP CM Yogi Adityanath announced financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh. He also announced a government job to a member of the martyr’s family and a road in the district after Anshuman.

Manju Singh said, “In our case, everything is given to the daughter-in-law who no longer stays with us. The rules regarding the assistance amount and other facilities provided by the government should also be amended, so that parents are entitled to them along with the wife of the martyr.”

WHAT ARE NOK RULES?

The Next of Kin (NOK) rules designate a person’s closest relative or legal representative. In the Army, if something happens to a service member, the ex-gratia amount is given to the NOK, similar to a bank nominee. When a cadet or officer joins the Army, the names of their parents or guardians are recorded as the NOK. However, when the cadet or officer gets married, the Army rules mandate the name of the spouse be recorded as the NOK instead of parents. These rules mean that all benefits, financial assistance and belongings are transferred to the spouse in the event of the service member’s death. This protocol aims to streamline the process and ensure the spouse receives immediate support.

WHO WAS CAPTAIN ANSHUMAN SINGH?

After doing his MBBS from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Captain Anshuman Singh joined the Medical Corps of the Army. His wife Smriti is an engineer and her parents are school principals. After training in Agra Military Hospital, Anshuman was posted there. Recently, Anshuman became the medical officer of a battalion posted in Poonch sector of Kashmir.

During his posting with 26 Punjab as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier area, Anshuman attained martyrdom on July 19, 2023. Around 3 am, a short-circuit ignited a fire in an Indian Army ammunition dump. Upon seeing a fibreglass hut engulfed in flames, Anshuman acted to save those trapped inside, successfully rescuing four to five people. However, the fire soon spread to a nearby medical investigation room.

Determined to save more lives, Anshuman went back into the blazing structure. Tragically, he got trapped in the inferno and could not escape.

Anshuman’s family, including his father Ravi, mother Manju, brother Ghanshyam Singh, and sister Tanya Singh, lives in Para Colony on Mohan Road in Lucknow. Both Ghanshyam and Tanya are doctors in Noida. Ravi Pratap Singh was a JCO in the Army.