Bapatla, 26 June

A nonagenarian woman from Andhra Pradesh has renounced her American citizenship to breathe her last as an Indian, an official said on Friday.

Bapatla District Collector V Vinod Kumar said K Mahalakshmamma (94), who had lived in the United States for over two decades, gave up her American citizenship to return to her roots in Andhra Pradesh and expressed her desire to die as an Indian citizen.

"She wanted to spend her final days in her native country and native village and wished that her last rites be performed there. It was a very emotional occasion," Kumar told PTI, referring to the oath-taking ceremony held on Tuesday.

A native of Chintagumpala village in Bapatla district, Mahalakshmamma moved to the United States after the death of her husband, Nagabhushanam, to live with her son, an oncologist.

She acquired US citizenship on 27 July 2000, lived there for several years and returned to India with her family in 2018. Her son, Kondrugunta K Pichchaiah, is now the Director of NRI Medical College in Guntur, and the family has since been residing in their native village, said Kumar.

Mahalakshmamma submitted an online application on 1 June seeking restoration of her Indian citizenship. The application was taken up for inquiry on Tuesday after she had also approached the State Secretariat seeking restoration of her citizenship rights.

He said every applicant seeking Indian citizenship is required to take an Oath of Allegiance to the Constitution of India, under the Citizenship Act, before the District Collector, who also serves as the District Magistrate.

As Mahalakshmamma had severe hearing impairment and did not understand English, the oath was translated into Telugu. Her son read the Telugu version aloud to her, and she repeated it before the District Collector-cum-District Magistrate, pledging to respect the Constitution of India and abide by its laws.

"After administering the oath, I signed Form III and Form VII and forwarded them to the Ministry of Home Affairs. My role in the process is over. The final decision on granting citizenship and issuing the certificate rests with the Ministry," Kumar said.

He said the application also required certification by an Indian citizen acquainted with the applicant, which was provided by one of her relatives.

During the inquiry, Mahalakshmamma requested that she be granted the legal right to live in India in her old age.

Kumar said the inquiry report would first be sent to the State Secretariat, from where it would be forwarded to the Government of India for further processing.

The Collector said he informed Mahalakshmamma that she would receive Indian citizenship from the government after completion of the prescribed process.