‘I want to die an Indian’: Who is 94 yo Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma who gives up US citizenship to return home
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘I want to die an Indian’: Who is 94 yo Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma who gives up US citizenship to return home")
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Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma, a 94-year-old Andhra Pradesh native, has renounced her United States citizenship and petitioned Bapatla district authorities to restore her Indian nationality to fulfill her final wish.
At an age when most people seek comfort and familiarity, 94-year-old Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma has made an extraordinary decision that has touched many across India. The Andhra Pradesh native has given up her United States citizenship and is seeking to become an Indian citizen again, saying her only wish is to spend the rest of her life in the country where she was born.
A resident of Chinthagumpala village in Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla district, Mahalakshmamma moved to Petersburg, Virginia, after the death of her husband, Nagabhushanam, to live with her son, Buchaiah Choudhary, an oncologist. She became a US citizen in July 2000 and lived in the United States for nearly 18 years.
However, in 2018, she returned to India after her son joined NRI Hospital in Mangalagiri. Since then, Mahalakshmamma has chosen to settle permanently in her native village.
Renounced US citizenship
Determined to reclaim her Indian identity, Mahalakshmamma has formally renounced her American citizenship and submitted an online application seeking restoration of her Indian nationality.
Accompanied by her son, she recently met Bapatla District Collector J. Venkata Murali and appealed for her application to be processed at the earliest.
“Collector garu, I am nearing 95 years of age. My only wish is to spend my final days in my motherland as an Indian citizen. I want my last rites to be performed in my native village. I have already given up my US citizenship. Please help me obtain Indian citizenship at the earliest,” she told the district administration.
A final wish to belong
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Mahalakshmamma’s request is rooted not in legal status but in a deeply personal desire to end her life where it began. Her decision to surrender US citizenship after nearly two decades reflects a strong emotional bond with her homeland and her wish to be remembered as an Indian.
Her appeal has attracted widespread attention, with many praising her commitment to her roots despite having spent years abroad. Authorities are now expected to process her application under the provisions governing the resumption of Indian citizenship after renunciation of foreign nationality.
