Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao handed over the letter of appointment as Deputy Collector to Ms. Santoshi, wife of Colonel Santosh Babu who laid down his life fighting the Chinese forces in Galwan valley last month.

Mr. Rao also had lunch with nearly 20 relatives of Ms. Santoshi, who were invited for the occasion, at Pragathi Bhavan.

The Chief Minister ordered that the colonel’s widow be given a posting in and around Hyderabad and that she should be trained under the guidance of a secretary in his office, Smita Sabharwal, a release said.

Mr. Rao also inquired about the well-being of the late colonel’s family.

Ministers G. Jagdish Reddy, V. Prashant Reddy and S. Niranjan Reddy, Rajya Sabha member B. Lingaiah Yadav and TRS MLAs of erstwhile Nalgonda district Gyadari Kishore, B. Mallaiah, Saidi Reddy and C. Lingaiah, were present.

Earlier, Hyderabad Collector Swetha Mohanty handed over documents pertaining to a 711 sq yd plot on Road No. 14 near K.B.R. Park at Banjara Hills to Ms. Santoshi. The land costing ₹20 crore was among the three sites in Shaikhpet mandal that were offered to Ms. Santoshi to choose from. Ms. Mohanty, Ms. Santoshi and other officials visited the place. The family was already offered ₹5 crore as ex gratia days after the colonel’s death.