94-Year

Vijayawada:A 94-year-old NRI woman from Bapatla district has sought Indian citizenship, saying her final wish is to have her last rites performed in her native village.

Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma, a native of Chinthagumpala village in Chinaganjam mandal, appeared before Bapatla District Collector J. Venkata Murali on Wednesday and requested that her citizenship application be processed at the earliest.

Mahalakshmamma said that after the death of her husband, Nagabhushanam, she moved to Petersburg in Virginia, United States, to live with her son, Buchaiah Choudhary, an oncologist. She acquired US citizenship in July 2000 and lived there for about 18 years.

She returned to India in 2018 and settled in her native village after her son began working at NRI Hospital in Mangalagiri.

Having relinquished her US citizenship, she has now applied for Indian citizenship through the online portal. She told officials that she wished to spend the rest of her life in her homeland and wanted her last rites to be conducted in her native village.

Responding to her request, the collector said the application would be processed as per procedure. After completion of the inquiry, a report would be forwarded to the state government, which would then send its recommendation to the Centre for consideration of citizenship.