What are Gallantry Awards?
Gallantry Awards are among India's highest honours, conferred on military personnel and civilians for displaying exceptional bravery, courage, and self-sacrifice in the service of the nation.
Wartime Gallantry Awards
- Param Vir Chakra: India's highest military decoration for conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy
- Maha Vir Chakra: Conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on land, sea, or air
- Vir Chakra: Acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy
- The Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra were the first Gallantry Awards instituted by independent India
Peacetime Gallantry Awards
- Ashoka Chakra: Highest peacetime gallantry award for bravery other than in face of enemy
- Kirti Chakra: Conspicuous gallantry other than in the face of the enemy
- Shaurya Chakra: Gallantry other than in the face of the enemy
- Originally instituted in 1952 with retroactive effect from 15th August 1947
- Initially designated as Ashoka Chakra Class-I, Class-II, and Class-III
- Renamed in 1967 to Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra
Order of Precedence
The official order of precedence is:
- Param Vir Chakra
- Ashoka Chakra
- Maha Vir Chakra
- Kirti Chakra
- Vir Chakra
- Shaurya Chakra
Eligibility Criteria
Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra:
- All ranks of Naval, Military, Air, Reserve, and Territorial Forces
- Medical and nursing staff
- Civilians serving under their direction
Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra:
- All ranks of Armed Forces, Reserve and Territorial Forces
- Nursing Services
- Police and Central Para-Military Forces
- Railway Protection Force
- Civilian citizens
Recommendation and Conferment Process
- Recommendations originate from military units, CAPFs, or police organizations
- Scrutinized through the chain of command
- Examined by the Central Honours and Awards Committee
- Final list approved by the President of India
- Awards announced twice a year: Republic Day and Independence Day
- Formal presentation at Defence Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan
- Param Vir Chakra and Ashoka Chakra conferred during Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path
Additional Recognition: Bar to Chakra
- Subsequent acts of similar gallantry recognized through award of a Bar
- Represented by miniature replica of respective Chakra on the ribbon
- Both original award and Bar may be conferred posthumously
Award Details Table
| Award | Purpose | Medal Material | Ribbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Param Vir Chakra | Most conspicuous bravery in presence of enemy | Bronze with four replicas of Indra's Vajra | Plain Purple |
| Maha Vir Chakra | Conspicuous gallantry in presence of enemy | Standard Silver with five-pointed star | Half White and Half Orange |
| Vir Chakra | Gallantry in presence of enemy | Standard Silver with five-pointed star | Half Blue and Half Orange |
| Ashoka Chakra | Most conspicuous bravery other than face of enemy | Gold-gilt with Ashoka Chakra | Green with one Orange vertical line |
| Kirti Chakra | Conspicuous gallantry other than face of enemy | Standard Silver with Ashoka Chakra | Green with two Orange vertical lines |
| Shaurya Chakra | Gallantry other than face of enemy | Bronze with Ashoka Chakra | Green with three Orange vertical lines |
Legal Position
Balaji Raghavan vs. Union of India (1995):
- Supreme Court upheld constitutional validity of National Awards
- Clarified that National Awards do not amount to 'titles' within meaning of Article 18(1)
- Awards should not be used as suffixes or prefixes