A popular influencer on Instagram, Reshma Sebastian, has issued a clarification and said that she is not Smriti Singh, the widow of Captain Anshuman Singh, who was recently awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously, India’s second-highest gallantry award, by President Droupadi Murmu, for his bravery during a fire incident in Siachen.

Many internet users mistakenly believed Ms Sebastian to be Smriti Singh. Several people stated that their facial features and hairstyle seem similar. Notably, the influencer is a mother to a four-year-old girl and resides in Germany.

The influencer said that she endured harassment for her fashion videos and pictures on the social networking platform. Ms Sebastian also shared a screenshot on her Instagram story of a man mocking the Army officer’s wife in a Facebook post that included her picture.

She wrote, “This is absurd! Using my identity to spread false information about Smriti Singh. We are going ahead with legal actions.” The influencer, who has over three lakh followers, urged people to inform her of any other such incident.

Reshma Sebastian also shared a post on her Instagram feed and captioned it, “There is a limit.” “This is not Smriti Singh’s (widow of Indian Army soldier Capt Anshuman Singh) page/ig account. Read the profile details and bio first. Please refrain from spreading false information and hate comments,” she wrote in the post.

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.

New Delhi:

Smriti Singh, the widow of Captain Anshuman Singh, stood before President Droupadi Murmu with folded hands. Alongside her stood Captain Singh’s mother, their shared grief palpable. Both of them were at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to accept the Kirti Chakra, India’s second-highest gallantry award, awarded posthumously to Captain Singh for his bravery during a fire incident in Siachen. 

“He would tell me, ‘I would die with the brass on my chest. I would not die an ordinary death,'” Smriti Singh recalled.

“We met on the first day of college. I don’t want to be dramatic but it was love at first sight. After a month, he got selected into the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC). We met at an engineering college but then he got selected in a medical college. Super intelligent guy. From then on, after just one month of meeting, it was a long-distance relationship for eight long years,” she added. “Then we decided to get married. Unfortunately, within two months of our marriage, he got posted in Siachen.”

Cpt #AnshumanSingh was awarded #KirtiChakra (posthumous). It was an emotional moment for his wife & Veer Nari Smt Smriti who accepted the award from #President Smt #DroupadiMurmu. Smt Smriti shares the story of her husband’s commitment & dedication towards the nation. Listen in! pic.twitter.com/SNZTwSDZ1Z

— A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) July 6, 2024

Captain Singh was posted with 26 Punjab as a medical officer in the Siachen Glacier area. On July 19, 2023, a short circuit led to a fire in an Indian Army ammunition dump around 3 am. Captain Singh saw a fibreglass hut engulfed in flames and immediately acted to save those trapped inside. He successfully rescued four to five individuals, however, the fire soon spread to a nearby medical investigation room. 

Captain Singh went back into the blazing structure. Despite his efforts, he could not escape the inferno, and was trapped inside before dying.

“Unfortunately, within two months of our marriage, he got posted in Siachen,” Ms Singh recounted. “On July 18, we had a long conversation about how our life would be in the next 50 years. On July 19 morning, I got a call that he is no more,” she said. “For the next 7-8 hours we were not ready to accept that anything of such sort has happened.”

“Now that I have the Kirti Chakra in my hand, maybe it is true. But it’s okay, he’s a hero. We can manage a little of our lives. He has given all his life to save other families, his army family,” Ms Singh said. 

Captain Singh was cremated with full state honours in Bhagalpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district on July 22, 2023. 

New Delhi:

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. 

President Droupadi Murmu presents the Kirti Chakra (Posthumous) to Captain Anshuman Singh. #DefenceInvestitureCeremony@rashtrapatibhvnpic.twitter.com/CpWRHRjJbs

— Doordarshan National दूरदर्शन नेशनल (@DDNational) July 5, 2024

“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.