BAPATLA, India (Diya TV) — A 95-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh has given up her U.S. citizenship and appealed to the Indian government to restore her Indian citizenship. She says she wants to spend the rest of her life in her native village and fulfill her final wish of dying as an Indian.
Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma, a native of Chintagumpala village in Bapatla district, lived in the United States for nearly 18 years after becoming a U.S. citizen in 2000. However, she returned to India in 2018 and now hopes to regain her Indian citizenship before the end of her life.
She recently met Bapatla District Collector V. Vinod Kumar and requested quick action on her citizenship application. She also said she wants her last rites to take place in her home village.
During the meeting, Mahalakshmamma took the required oath of allegiance to the Constitution of India under the Citizenship Act. Because she has severe hearing loss and does not understand English, officials translated the oath into Telugu. Her son read each line aloud, and she repeated the words before the district collector, who also serves as the district magistrate.
The emotional moment quickly spread across social media. In the widely shared video, Mahalakshmamma tells the collector in Telugu, “Collector Garu, I am nearing 95 years of age. I want to die as an Indian.”
The oath marked an important legal step in the citizenship restoration process. According to district officials, Mahalakshmamma submitted her online application on June 1. She also approached the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat and requested the restoration of her Indian citizenship.
After completing the local inquiry, the district administration forwarded her file to the state government. Next, the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat will send the application to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry will make the final decision on her citizenship request.
Mahalakshmamma moved to the United States after the death of her husband, Nagabhushanam. She joined her son, Dr. Kondrugunta K. Pichchaiah, an oncologist, and later became a U.S. citizen on July 27, 2000.
She spent nearly two decades in America. However, she returned to India with her family in 2018. Today, her son serves as the director of NRI Medical College in Guntur, and the family lives in their native village.
Officials say Mahalakshmamma wants to spend her remaining years in familiar surroundings. More importantly, she hopes to receive Indian citizenship before her death so her final rites can take place in the village where she was born and raised.
Her story has touched many people across India. As the video gained attention online, several public figures praised her decision and described it as a powerful example of love for one’s homeland.
Telugu Desam Party Rajya Sabha member Sana Sathish Babu called her decision deeply moving. In a post on X, he said no passport or wealth can replace a person’s bond with their roots. He added that her story reminds people to value their heritage, stay connected to their homeland, and take pride in India.
Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav also praised Mahalakshmamma’s choice. He said her decision reflects the strong emotional connection many people continue to feel toward their motherland, even after living abroad for many years.
