At 94, Andhra Woman Gives Up US Citizenship to Spend Final Years as an Indian

A 94-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh has voluntarily renounced her United States citizenship in a deeply personal decision driven by her desire to spend the rest of her life in her native village and be remembered as an Indian citizen .

The woman, Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma , a native of Chintagumpala village in Bapatla district, had lived in the United States for more than two decades. However, in the twilight of her life, she chose to return to her roots and seek restoration of her Indian citizenship , saying she wished to spend her final days in her homeland and have her last rites performed there.

Revealing details of the case on Friday, Bapatla District Collector V. Vinod Kumar described the development as a rare and emotional example of an enduring bond with one's birthplace.

According to officials, Mahalakshmamma moved to the United States after the death of her husband, Nagabhushanam, to live with her son, a noted oncologist. She obtained US citizenship on July 27, 2000 , and remained there for many years. In 2018, she and her family returned to India and eventually settled in their native village.

Her son, K. Pitchaiah , currently serves as Director of NRI Medical College in Guntur.

Seeking legal recognition to reside permanently in India, Mahalakshmamma submitted an online application on June 1 this year for restoration of Indian citizenship. The matter was subsequently taken up by district authorities, leading to an official citizenship-related inquiry at the Bapatla Collectorate earlier this week.

Under the provisions of India's citizenship laws, applicants are required to take an oath of allegiance before the District Collector-cum-District Magistrate. Since Mahalakshmamma has significant hearing difficulties and is unable to understand English, officials arranged for the oath to be translated into Telugu.

During the proceedings, her son read out the Telugu version of the oath, and Mahalakshmamma repeated the words before the Collector, affirming her commitment to the Constitution of India and the country's laws.

Collector Vinod Kumar said that after administering the oath, he completed the required documentation and forwarded the papers to the Ministry of Home Affairs for further processing.

He clarified that while the district administration has completed its part of the procedure, the final decision on granting citizenship and issuing the certificate rests with the Union Home Ministry.

As required under the rules, a relative who is an Indian citizen also provided the necessary certification supporting her application. The proposal will now move through the prescribed administrative channels before a final decision is taken by the central government.

For many in the district, Mahalakshmamma's decision has become a moving reminder that, even after decades abroad, emotional ties to one's homeland can remain stronger than any passport.