Captain Anshuman Singh was posted with 26 Punjab Regiment of the Indian Army as a Medical Officer in the Siachen Glacier area. On 19th July 2023, a short circuit led to a fire in an ammunition dump in the middle of the night. After Captain Singh saw a fibreglass hut engulfed in fumes, he immediately went ahead to save the lives of those trapped inside, risking his own, reported NDTV.
Captain Singh successfully saved the lives of 4-5 people but amidst all this, the fire spread to the nearby medical investigation room. We went there to rescue anyone who was trapped, but he couldn’t escape the blazing room. He was trapped inside and then lost his life. He was cremated with full state honours in Bhagalpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district on July 22, 2023.
Recently, President Droupadi Murmu awarded the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, to Captain Anshuman Singh posthumously. It was handed over to Manju Singh, his mother, and Smriti Singh, his wife, reported Indian Express.
In a brief conversation with the media, Smriti Singh, battling tears in her eyes, opened up about her relationship with Captain Anshuman Singh. She recounted how it was love at first sight and how after one month of being together, they decided to be in a long-distance relationship as Captain Singh was selected into the Armed Forces Medical College. After dating for 8 years, they decided to get married.
“We met on the first day of our college. I would not be dramatic, but it was love at first sight. After a month, he got selected into Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC). We met in an engineering college, and he got selected into a medical college, super intelligent guy. After just one month of meeting, it was a long-distance relationship for eight long years and then we thought we should get married, so we did,” she said.
However, after two months of being married, Captain Singh got posted at Siachen. On July 18, the two spoke about their future. On July 19, news came that her husband passed away.
“Unfortunately, within two months of marriage, he got posted to Siachen. On July 18, we had a long conversation about how our life will be in the next 50 years — we are going to build a house, we are going to have kids, what not. On 19th morning, I get up, I get a call that he is no more.”
Smriti Singh shared how her husband wanted to die a hero and not have an ordinary death.
“He would tell me, ‘I would die with the brass on my chest. I would not die an ordinary death’.”
Cpt #AnshumanSingh was awarded the #KirtiChakra (posthumously). It was an emotional moment for his wife, Veer Nari Smt. Smriti, who accepted the award from President Smt. Droupadi Murmu. Smt. Smriti shares the inspiring story of her husband’s commitment and dedication to the… pic.twitter.com/HfqWsJAnsv
— Doordarshan National दूरदर्शन नेशनल (@DDNational) July 6, 2024
Captain Anshuman Singh is a hero who gave up his life to save others. We salute his sacrifice and wish his family strength.