Captain Singh's parents want 'NOK' rules' modification: What are they
A few days after their son, Captain Anshuman Singh, posthumously received India's Kirti Chakra—the second-highest peacetime gallantry award—his parents advocated for reforms in the Indian Army's "next of kin" (NOK) policy. Captain Singh lost his life in a fire in Siachen in July last year. The NOK policy aims to support family members financially in the event of a soldier's death. Let's take a look at the NOK policy and why the family has demanded that it be modified.
Parents question current 'Next of kin' criteria
In an interview, Ravi Pratap Singh and his wife Manju Singh said that after their son's death, his widow Smriti Singh moved out and now receives most of the entitlements. Speaking to TV9 Bharatvarsh, Singh said, "The criteria set to NOK is not correct. I have also spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh...Anshuman's wife doesn't live with us now...marriage was just five months old and there is no child...we want that the definition of NOK be fixed," he added.
What the NOK rules are
The term "next of kin" typically denotes a person's spouse, immediate family members, or legal guardian. Upon enlistment in the Army, an individual lists their parents or guardians as next of kin. Army regulations stipulate that upon marriage, an officer or cadet designates their spouse as the next of kin instead of their parents. According to these rules, if an individual serving in the Army encounters an incident, the ex-gratia amount is disbursed to their designated next of kin.
Captain Anshuman Singh's heroic sacrifice
Captain Singh lost his life on July 19, 2023, while saving his colleagues during a fire at an Indian Army camp in Siachen glacier. The fire was caused by a short circuit at the army's ammunition dump. Despite the danger, Singh managed to rescue four to five people trapped inside a burning fiberglass hut before succumbing to the flames. He was cremated with full state honors in Bhagalpur, Bihar on July 22, 2023.
Captain Singh honored with Kirti Chakra posthumously
Captain Singh was honored with the Kirti Chakra posthumously. On July 5, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, his mother Manju Singh and wife Smriti received the award from President Droupadi Murmu. Smriti shared her husband's words after accepting the award. "I would die with a brass on my chest. I would not die an ordinary death," Captain Singh had said.
NCW demands action for derogatory remarks
To recall, Smriti was in the news earlier this week after the National Commission for Women (NCW) called for strict action against a man for making a lewd comment about her. The derogatory remark was posted below the photo of Smriti while she was receiving the award at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The commission stated that the offensive remark violates Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
