94-Year-Old Woman Gives Up US Citizenship After Decades Abroad to Live Her Final Days in India

KONDRAGUNTA MAHALAKSHMAMMA, a 94-year-old woman has given up her American citizenship. She expressed her last wish is to spend the remainder of her life in her motherland as an Indian citizen. Mahalakshmamma currently holds OCI (overseas Indian citizen) status as well as US citizenship. 

A video of her interaction has gone viral on social media platforms. Mahalakshmamma said that “I want to die as an Indian.” The matter came up for hearing before Bapatla District Collector V Vinod Kumar at the Public Grievance Redressal System, PGRS Hall in the Collectorate on June 24, 2026.

Who is Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma?

Mahalakshmamma is from Chinthagumpala village in Chinaganjam mandal, Andhra Pradesh. She had moved to the United States in 2000 after the death of her husband Nagabhushanam. In 2000, she moved to Petersburg, Virginia and lived there for almost 18 years before moving back to India. In 2018, she returned to India as her son began working at NRI Hospital in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh. 

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In the US, Mahalakshmamma lived with her son who is an oncologist Dr K Buchaiah Choudhary. Since her return to India in 2018, she has voluntarily given up her US citizenship and applied online for the restoration of Indian citizenship. She expressed her wish to spend her final days as an Indian citizen. 

Mahalakshmamma last wish is to live as an Indian Citizen

A 94-year-old made an emotional appeal to officials, “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 only. I have already given up my US citizenship. Please help me obtain Indian citizenship as soon as possible.”

Mahalakshmamma recited an oath of allegiance in Telugu, pledging true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India and committing to fulfil her duties as a citizen, the district officials said.

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"Following the oath, district staff present official documents for verification. She is guided carefully to sign at designated places as part of the legal formalities as a citizen. The procedure concludes with a district official declaring in English that the oath of allegiance has been successfully taken in the presence of District Magistrate," Collector Vinod Kumar said.

In response to Mahalakshmamma's wish, the district collector assured her that the request of Indian citizenship would follow standard protocols, local findings will be handed to the Andhra Pradesh government, and that the decision now rests with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

(Edited By Vaishnavi Sivadasan)

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