94-year-old US citizen seeks to reclaim Indian citizenship to spend final days in Bapatla

A 94-year-old United States citizen has appealed to the Indian government to restore her citizenship so she can spend her final years and have her last rites performed in her native village. Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma, who returned to India in 2018, recently completed her mandatory oath of allegiance before the district collector in Bapatla district, Andhra Pradesh, on June 23, taking a significant step toward officially reclaiming her Indian nationality.

Mahalakshmamma had given up her Indian citizenship more than two decades ago. She moved to the United States following the death of her husband and officially became a US citizen on July 27, 2000. After living abroad for several years, she returned to India in 2018 and has since been residing in her native Chinthagumpala village, which is located in the Chinnaganjam area of Bapatla district.

Wishing to spend her remaining days in her motherland, Mahalakshmamma submitted an online application on June 1 to seek the restoration of her Indian citizenship under the relevant legal provisions. During the subsequent official inquiry, she affirmed her commitment to uphold the Constitution and the laws of India.

The process required her to take an oath of allegiance, which took place at the district collectorate on June 23. Because Mahalakshmamma has a hearing impairment and does not understand English, the oath was translated into Telugu. Her son, Dr. K. Pitchaiah, who works as an oncologist and serves as a director at the NRI Medical College in Guntur, read the translated text aloud. Mahalakshmamma then repeated the words before Bapatla District Collector V. Vinod Kumar.

A video of the elderly woman taking the oath of allegiance recently went viral on social media. Local administrative officials clarified that the oath is a mandatory legal step for anyone seeking to reclaim their Indian citizenship.

Following the ceremony, Collector Kumar confirmed that Mahalakshmamma's application and all accompanying documents have been officially forwarded to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The final decision on whether to restore her Indian citizenship now rests with the central government. Mahalakshmamma expressed that her sole remaining wish is to live out her final days in her native Chinthagumpala village and have her last rites performed there.