Days after Captain Ayushman received posthumous Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, his parents have demanded for a revision in ‘next of Kin’ NOK army policy. The NOK policy provides financial assistance to the family of the army personnel’s death.
Speaking to a media outlet the parents of late captain Ayushman expressed concern and asked for a revision in NOK policy as their daughter in law Smriti Singh received the Kirti Chakra and went to her hometown and she does not live with them.
“We only have our son’s photo hanging on the wall”
Talking to the media outlet Ravi Pratap, father of late Ayushman asked for revision in NOK and said they are only left with the picture of their son hanging on the wall.
“The criteria set for NOK is 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,” he said.
“Hence, we want NOK’s definition to be fixed. It should be decided that the martyr’s wife must stay with his family, who now has much dependency,” Pratap added.
Meanwhile, late captain’s mother said, they are asking for the change in the policy so that other parents do not ‘suffer’
“Everyone will Speak According to Their Own Thinking”
Reacting to allegations from her in-laws, Captain Anshuman’s wife, Smriti Singh, told Dainik Bhaskar that she is not aware of the claims and said, “Everyone will speak according to their own thinking. I have no objections.”
What is NOK?
The “Next of Kin” (NOK) policy of the Indian Army is designed to provide financial and emotional support to the families of soldiers. When a person enlists in the Army, their parents or guardians are listed as NOK. This designation remains until the soldier gets married, at which point their spouse’s name replaces the parents’ in official records.
In the event of a soldier’s death during service, the ex-gratia amount is given to the NOK. This is crucial for the family’s financial security and support. The policy can lead to complications, especially if the soldier’s spouse does not live with the parents or if the marriage is short-lived. This can result in the spouse receiving most entitlements, which may not be acceptable to the parents
The case of Captain Anshuman Singh highlights these issues. His parents, Ravi Pratap Singh and Manju Singh, are seeking a revision of the NOK policy, citing that their daughter-in-law, Smriti Singh, no longer lives with them and has updated her address in official records. They argue that the criteria for NOK should be revised to ensure fair treatment for families of deceased soldiers.
Revision in NOK Policy
There have been revisions to the NOK policy after the 1999 Kargil War to better support the families of deceased soldiers. The current debate aims to address similar issues to prevent future hardships for families.
Why did Captain Get Kirti Chakra?
Captain Singh was posted with 26 Punjab as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier area. Tragically on July 19, 2023, a short circuit led to a fire in an Indian Army ammunition dump reportedly at around 3 am.
Captain Singh saw the fire and immediately acted to save those trapped inside. He rescued as many as five individuals.
The blaze soon engulfed the nearby medical investigation room. Despite his efforts, the captain could not escape the inferno and was trapped inside before dying.
He was awarded kirti chakra, India’s second largest, India’s second-highest gallantry award for his bravery.
Political Claims
Reportedly Captain Anshuman’s parents met with Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday and asked him to raise this issue and change the NOK rules. Meanwhile, Ravi Pratap Singh, Captain Anshuman’s father, said he has also spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about this issue
