Ara/ Patna: A 40-year wait for Indian citizenship has come to an end for Sumitra Prasad, also known as Rani Saha, who has been living on a visa in Ara’s Chitra Toli Road. She became the first person in Bihar to receive citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Her youngest daughter, Aishwarya Prasad, applied for citizenship on her behalf in November 2024, and within two months, the process was completed. The family is now celebrating this long-awaited milestone.
A journey shaped by history and hardship
At the age of five in 1970, Sumitra went to live with her aunt in Rajshahi, Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). A year later, the Indo-Pakistani War led to the creation of Bangladesh, but life for Hindus in the region remained precarious.
“I studied there until Class 10, but Hindus were treated with disdain. The atmosphere was hostile,” Sumitra said. She returned to India in 1985, never going back to Bangladesh. However, her stay in India was fraught with challenges as she lived on a visa.
Sumitra’s father, Madan Gopal Chaudhary, faced financial difficulties and could not support his family of six. With two daughters and two sons, he sent Sumitra to her aunt’s home for relief. After returning to India at the age of 20, Sumitra reunited with her father in Katihar before marrying Parmeshwar Prasad on March 10, 1985. The couple settled in Ara, where Parmeshwar ran a home appliance shop.
A family effort to secure citizenship
Sumitra’s struggle persisted even after her husband’s death in 2010 due to cancer. Living on a visa meant frequent renewals and constant uncertainty. “Every year, I worried about the visa. Locals often taunted me and demanded I go back to Bangladesh. In 2023, I was summoned to the police station and told to return,” she said.
In 2024, while renewing her visa in Kolkata, Sumitra’s family learned about the CAA, which provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries. Her youngest daughter, Aishwarya, took the lead in navigating the application process.
“Aishwarya worked tirelessly for months,” Sumitra said. In January 2025, the family’s efforts bore fruit as she was granted Indian citizenship, ending decades of uncertainty.
A new chapter begins
For the first time, Sumitra will be eligible for government services and documents like an Aadhaar card, ration card, and PAN card. “My mother was deprived of basic facilities for so long. Now she can access all of them,” Aishwarya said.
The family has already begun the process of securing these documents. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, visa extensions were not granted for three years, causing immense distress. But now, we have relief from these struggles,” Aishwarya added.
Sumitra’s journey from a life of uncertainty to one of belonging marks a significant milestone, not only for her family but also for the implementation of the CAA in Bihar.
