India’s Gallantry Awards (Military Awards)

There are total of 6 Gallantry awards in India. All the six awards are divided in two categories, named as War time awards and Peace time awards.

Param Vir Chakra is the highest gallantry award of Indian army. These gallantry awards were instituted by the Government of India on 26th January, 1950.

Description of Indian Gallantry awards are as follows:

1.    War Time Awards: Established on 26 January 1950 with retrospective effect from 15 August 1947.

i.     Param Vir Chakra

ii.    Mahavir Chakra

iii.    Vir Chakra

2.    Peace Time Awards: These awards were instituted on 4 January 1952. These awards were renamed on 27 January 1967 as Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra from Ashoka Chakra (Class I), Ashoka Chakra (Class II) and Ashoka Chakra (Class III) respectively.

i.       Ashoka Chakra

ii.      Kirti Chakra

iii.     Shaurya Chakra

Distinguished Service Awards:

   i.     Sena Medal (Army)

  ii.     Nausena Medal (Navy)

  iii.    Vayusena Medal (Airforce) 

Since 11 July 2019, the Indian Army allows close relatives of deceased military personnel to wear their medals on the right side of the chest while attending homage ceremonies at war memorials, cemeteries and funerals.

1.    War Time Awards:

i.  Param Vir Chakra: The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime. Param Vir Chakra translates as the "Wheel of the Ultimate Brave", and the award is granted for "most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy". As of January 2018, the medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and one has been from the Indian Air Force. Major Somnath Sharma, was the first recipient. A number of state governments of India as well as ministries of the central government provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC (or their family members in case of the recipient's death). It is only awarded to military personnel.

 The history of present-day Indian gallantry awards can be traced back to the rule of the East India Company, when the first formal award was instituted by Lord William Bentinck in 1834 as the Order of Merit, later renamed the Indian Order of Merit in 1902. During the First World War, the British awards system was adopted and continued through the Second World War. Post-independence, new awards were instituted on 26 January 1950, with retroactive effect from 15 August 1947. The PVC is equivalent to the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom and the Medal of Honor in the United States.

ii.  Mahavir Chakra: The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) (lit. great warrior medal) is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The medal may be awarded posthumously.

iii.  Vir Chakra: Vir Chakra is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on the battlefield and is third in precedence in wartime gallantry awards and comes after the Param Vir Chakra and Mahavir Chakra.

2.  Peace Time Awards:

i.    Ashoka Chakra: The Ashoka Chakra is India's highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice" other than in the face of the enemy. The decoration may be awarded either to military or civilian personnel.

Naik Narbahadur Thapa, Havildar Bachittar Singh and Flight Lieutenant Suhas Biswas were the first recipients of the Ashoka Chakra. Subsequent awards of the Ashoka Chakra are recognized by a bar to the medal ribbon. A recipient can be awarded the Kirti Chakra or Shaurya Chakra in addition for separate acts of gallantry.

ii.   Kirti Chakra: The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Mahavir Chakra. It is second in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards, comes after Ashoka Chakra and before Shaurya Chakra. Before 1967, the award was known as the Ashoka Chakra, Class II.

iii.    Shaurya Chakra: The Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, sometimes posthumously. It is third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards and comes after the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra. It precedes the Yudh Seva Medal.

Highest Military Decorations on the World-

1. India                             Paramvir Chakra

2. Italy                              Medal for valor

3. Germany                      Iron cross

4. Japan                            Order of the rising sun

5. United Kingdom          Victoria Cross

6. France                          Criose de guere

7. USA                             Medal of Honour

 

 List of Civilian Awards in India is given below:

https://ourdiverseindia.blogspot.com/2021/10/civillian-awards-in-india.html