Change of name in Army documents

First of all, you have to approach the district court of your native district and make a petition for the name change. For this, you have to approach a good lawyer in your area and explain to him the issue. You have to show him the documents asked for. Once it is given, he will do the needful and get you the court order.
Then you have to complete and submit DA Form 4187 to your commanding officer. You will also need to provide documentation supporting the name change like a court order. Once the army approves the name change, your military records will reflect the change.
You can go ahead and get it changed as explained above.

Changing the name in army records is a tedious process especially after the retirement as pension account is also related to this name change. Still, there are some procedures under which one can attempt for this.

First thing is search for some documents in the favour of your father where his village name is mentioned like ration card, birth certificate, panchayat card etc. This will be necessary when applying for name change. You will have to contact a lawyer or notary public authority for name change and make the necessary affidavit for the same and get the gazette notification also. Once this is done then you have to apply in the requisite application format to the concerned army administration office for including this in their records as well as in pension account records. The name change in pension account is very important as in absence of it the pension will be unnecessarily withheld in the paying bank or paying authority office.

I will advise you to to contact the Zila Sainik Welfare Officer (district level army welfare officer) and take his help in the matter. As per my information the incorporation of a changed name in army records requires an application in the proper format along with supporting documents. These procedures and format of application form can be found in the Army Head Quarters, Ministry of Defence letter No. A/20105/MP 8 (I of R) dated 15 May 2008. The Zila Sainik Welfare Officer can definitely help you in this matter.

I have noticed such changes by army men and their family members in the newspaper. Why are the names different in the army record when the documents provided during the selection is the 10th standard marksheet. The second is the name of the spouse and children. I have noticed that many people request for name and date of birth change from the army background. At least the army recruitment or the people should be well versed with the problem and should take notice of the same.

Change the name in the army record is very wearisome and as he is old and has already passed more than 35 years from work, would request you to change the name in the documents which are easy and near to you. You can consult a good lawyer who can help you get all the paperwork done at the earliest and easiest possible way. Once the paper is submitted, you need to publish the same in the local newspaper before the final approval or name change is done. Always make a copy of all the documents that you attach as it will help you at the end.

I have seen cases where people serving armed forces change their name. This is a little bit complicated process because, after changing name, the affidavit is required to be given to the Commanding Officer (CO) of the unit where the person is serving. The CO then forwards the affidavit to the higher-ups and also to the Defence Accounts (for pension and other retirement benefit purposes). It takes time.

Till now, I have not come across any case of change of name of an army pensioner. But I feel that after the change of name, the person has to forward the affidavit and advertisement to change the name to the concerned Defence Account Unit, Principal Defence Accounts Office (Pensions), Allahabad and also to the Unit from where the person retired. It would be very complicated and time-consuming. There may be a possibility of not getting the pension in time for a long period until the issue is settled.

I would advvise not to go for such a change after such a long time after retirement.