Video: Widow Of Soldier Who Died In Siachen Fire Accepts Kirti Chakra

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday conferred Kirti Chakra to Captain Anshuman Singh who died while saving his fellow army men from a fire at Siachen. A video from the award ceremony showing his wife receiving the award from the president has gone viral on social media.

Kirti Chakra is India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award.

In the short clip, Smriti Singh and Captain Singh's mother stand before the president at the ceremony. With tears in her eyes, the young woman, dressed in white, folds her hands as her late husband is praised for his brave sacrifice. 

"Disregarding his own safety, he exhibited exceptional bravery and resolve to rescue many people in a major fire incident," the president said in a post on X.

Social media users have praised the young woman for exhibiting exceptional strength and poise while receiving the award. 

"Wives & Mothers of defence personnel are the strongest women. Hon'ble President of India walked to the young Wife & the Mother of Capt (Dr) Anshuman Singh, Kirti Chakra (posthumous) to present the award," Lieutenant General (Retd) Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon said in a post on X.

In July last year, a short circuit led to a fire in an Indian Army ammunition dump at Siachen around 3 am. Captain Singh helped rescue those stuck inside a fibre-glass hut near the dump as it caught fire. When the fire reached a nearby medical investigation shelter, Captain Singh attempted to retrieve life-saving medicine stored inside. In doing so, he suffered severe burns and died soon after.

The couple were married in February last year after Captain Singh graduated from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. This was his first posting at Siachen under Operation Meghdoot.