The Indian Army's next of kin (NOK) requirements for providing financial support to family members in the event of a soldier's death have been modified, according to the parents of Captain Anshuman Singh, who perished in a fire incident in Siachen in July of last year.

In an interview with a news outlet, Ravi Pratap Singh and his spouse Manju Singh stated that following the passing of their son, their daughter-in-law Smriti Singh moved out of the house and is currently receiving the majority of their benefits. A picture of their kid "hanging on the wall" is all that's left of them, according to Mr. Singh.

Next of kin
Image Source: Boss Boleh

“The criteria set to NOK is not correct. I have also spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about this. Anshuman's wife doesn't live with us now, the marriage was just five months old and there is no child. We only have a photo of our son hanging on the wall with a garland on it," Mr Singh told TV9 Bharatvarsh.

“That is why we want that the definition of NOK be fixed. It should be decided that if the wife of the martyr stays in the family, who has how much dependency," he added.

In order to spare other parents from suffering, Captain Singh's mother stated that they would like the government to review the NOK regulations.

What rules does Next of Kin have?

Next of kin refers to a person's immediate family members or authorized agents. According to Army regulations, NOK receives the ex-gratia payment in the event that an individual while serving experiences a hardship. It is comparable to a nominee at a bank, to put it simply.

The names of the cadet's or officer's guardians are included in the NOK at the time of their enlistment. According to Army regulations, when a cadet or officer gets married, their spouse's name is listed as their next of kin rather than their parents'.

Captain Singh served as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier region while assigned to 26 Punjab. Around three in the morning on July 19, 2023, an Indian Army munitions depot caught fire due to a short circuit. When Captain Singh noticed a fiberglass hut on fire, he moved quickly to save the people within. He was able to save four or five people, but not before the fire quickly spread to an adjacent medical investigation room.

Captain Singh returned to the burning building. He tried to get out of the fire, but was unable to do so, and ultimately perished within.

Posthumously, he received India's second-highest bravery honor, the Kirti Chakra. President Droupadi Murmu presented the medal to Captain Singh's mother and wife Smriti at Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 5.

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