Bapatla: While holding a US passport is considered a matter of pride by many Indians, a 94-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh has given up her’s voluntarily and sought restoration of her citizenship in India.
Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma, a US citizen, has said that she wishes to “die as an Indian” in her native village in Andhra Pradesh.
The matter came up for hearing before Bapatla district collector V Vinod Kumar at the PGRS Hall in the Collectorate recently, as reported by NDTV.
Originally from Chinthagumpala village in the Chinaganjam mandal, Mahalakshmamma, , had moved to the United States after the death of her husband Nagabhushanam, officials said.
She lived there with her son, oncologist Dr K Buchaiah Choudhary, and acquired US citizenship in July 2000. After living abroad for nearly two decades, she returned to India in 2018 and settled back in her native village.
She then voluntarily gave up her US citizenship and applied online for the restoration of Indian citizenship.
Mahalakshmamma recited the oath of allegiance in Telugu, guided by an official, pledging true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India and committing to fulfil her duties as a citizen.
“Following the oath, district staff presented official documents for verification. She was guided carefully to sign at designated places as part of the legal formalities. The process concluded with a district official announcing that the oath of allegiance has been successfully taken in the presence of the collector and district magistrate,” Kumar said.
The nonagenarian currently holds OCI (overseas Indian citizen) status as well as US citizenship.
“As she felt she was nearing the end of her life, she expressed a strong desire to spend her final days and pass away as an Indian citizen. On June 23, she came to me along with her son as per procedure,” the collector said.
“She completed the formalities accordingly,” the official said.
Her application and report have now been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs for approval. “It was a very moving and emotional moment for all of us present,” Kumar said.
Mahalakshmamma told officials during the proceedings that she wants to live the rest of her life in her homeland and have her last rites performed in India.
All steps are being taken in accordance with citizenship laws and that the decision now rests with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the collector assured her.
