List of Param Vir Chakra recipients

Ribbon of Param Vir Chakra

The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration awarded for valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy.[1] The medal has been awarded twenty-one times, including fourteen posthumous awards; sixteen were awarded for action in Indo-Pakistani conflicts, and two for action in peacekeeping operations. Twenty recipients were members of the Indian Army, one of the Indian Air Force. Among regiments, The Grenadiers have received the most Param Vir Chakras, with three awards. The various Gorkha Rifle regiments of the Indian Army have also received three awards, with the 1 Gorkha Rifles, 8 Gorkha Rifles and 11 Gorkha Rifles each having one PVC recipient.

Literally meaning "Wheel (or Cross) of the Ultimate Brave",[2] the Param Vir Chakra is comparable to the Medal of Honor in the United States and the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom.[3] It was established on 26 January 1950 (Republic Day of India), by the President of India, with effect from 15 August 1947 (Independence Day of India).[1][2] It can be awarded to officers or enlisted personnel from all branches of the Indian military.[4]

The three living recipients of the Param Vir Chakra: Yogendra Singh Yadav, Bana Singh and Sanjay Kumar (as of November 2016).

Although there is provision for the award to be bestowed multiple times on the one recipient, no instances of this have happened yet. Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously in 1971 was the only Indian Air Force officer to date have been honoured with the Param Vir Chakra. As of November 2016, Naib Subedar Sanjay Kumar and Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav are the only active duty PVC recipients in the Indian Army.[1]

The award carries a cash allowance for those under the rank of lieutenant (or the appropriate service equivalent) and, in some cases, a cash award. On the death of the recipient, the pension is transferred to the widow until her death or remarriage. In the case of a bachelor posthumous recipient, the allowance is paid to his father or mother; and if the PVC is awarded posthumously to a widower, the allowance is paid to his son or unmarried daughter.[5] The award amount and pension benefits are exempted from income tax. Several Central Government ministries also give additional incentives to the recipients. These include a first class /AC 2 tier Complimentary Pass to the awardee along with a companion from the Ministry of Railways, a 75% concession on economy fares by Indian Airlines, and no rental, installation and registration charges for the services by MTNL. In addition, the awardee is exempted from the toll tax by the Ministry of Transport. Many states have established individual pension rewards that far exceed the central government's stipend for recipients of the decoration.[6]

Recipients

  This along with the *, indicates that the Param Vir Chakra was awarded posthumously.

Name Unit Date of action Conflict Place of actionCitations
Somnath Sharma4 Kumaon 3 November 1947* Battle of Badgam Badgam, J & K, India[7][8][9]
Jadu Nath Singh 1 Rajput 6 February 1948* Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Naushera, J & K, India[8][9][10]
Rama Raghoba Rane Bombay Sappers 8 April 1948 Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Naushera, J & K, India[8][9][11]
Piru Singh Shekhawat 6 Rajputana Rifles 17 July 1948* Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Tithwal, J & K, India[8][9][12]
Karam Singh1 Sikh 13 October 1948 Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Tithwal, J & K, India[8][9][13]
Gurbachan Singh Salaria3/1 Gorkha Rifles[lower-alpha 1] 5 December 1961* Congo Crisis Élisabethville, Katanga, Congo[8][9][14]
Dhan Singh Thapa1/8 Gorkha Rifles 20 October 1962 Sino-Indian War Ladakh, J & K, India[8][9][15]
Joginder Singh Sahnan1 Sikh 23 October 1962* Sino-Indian War Tongpen La, NEFA, India[8][9][16]
Shaitan Singh13 Kumaon 18 November 1962* Sino-Indian War Rezang La, J & K, India[8][9][17]
Abdul Hamid4 Grenadiers 10 September 1965*Battle of Asal UttarKhemkaran, India[8][9][18]
Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore 17 Poona Horse 15 October 1965* Battle of Chawinda Phillora, Sialkot, Pakistan[8][9][19]
Albert Ekka14 Guards 3 December 1971* Battle of Hilli Gangasagar, Agartala, India[8][9][20]
Nirmal Jit Singh SekhonNo. 18 Squadron[lower-alpha 2]14 December 1971* Indo-Pakistani War of 1971Srinagar, J & K, India[8][9][21]
Arun Khetarpal17 Poona Horse16 December 1971* Battle of Basantar Barapind-Jarpal, Shakargarh, Pakistan[8][9][22]
Hoshiar Singh3 Grenadiers 17 December 1971 Battle of Basantar Basantar River, Shakargarh, Pakistan[8][9][23]
Bana Singh8 JAK LI 23 May 1987 Operation Rajiv Siachen Glacier, J & K, India[8][9][24]
Ramaswamy Parameshwaran8 Mahar[lower-alpha 3]25 November 1987* Operation Pawan Sri Lanka[8][9][25]
Manoj Kumar Pandey 1/11 Gorkha Rifles3 July 1999* Operation Vijay Khaluber /Juber Top, J & K, India[8][9]
Yogendra Singh Yadav18 Grenadiers 4 July 1999 Battle of Tiger Hill Tiger Hill, J & K, India[8][9]
Sanjay Kumar 13 JAK Rifles 5 July 1999 Kargil War Kargil, J & K, India[8][9]
Vikram Batra13 JAK Rifles 5 July 1999* Operation Vijay Kargil, J & K, India[8][9]

Notes

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Attached to the United Nations Peace Keeping Force stationed in Congo.
  2. ↑ No. 18 Squadron belongs to the Indian Air Force.
  3. ↑ Attached to the Indian Peace Keeping Force stationed in Sri Lanka.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 "11 Facts You Need To Know About The Param Vir Chakra". Indiatimes. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Param Vir Chakra (PVC)". India: National Portal of India. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Priya Aurora (4 September 2016). "7 Facts Average Indian Doesn't Know About Param Vir Chakra". Topyaps. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "Param Vir Chakra". Indian Army. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  5. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, p. 48.
  6. ↑ "How Do We Reward the Men in Uniform? A Look at the Reward Extended to Gallantry Award Winners". Factly. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  7. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 75–76.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Indiatimes News Network (25 January 2008). "Param Vir Chakra Winners Since 1950". Times of India. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rishabh Banerji (15 August 2015). "21 Param Vir Chakra Winners Every Indian Should Know And Be Proud Of". Indiatimes. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  10. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 56–57.
  11. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 67–68.
  12. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 65–66.
  13. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 60–61.
  14. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 69–70.
  15. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 79–80.
  16. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 58–59.
  17. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 73–74.
  18. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 49–50.
  19. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 77–78.
  20. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 52–53.
  21. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 71–72.
  22. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 62–63.
  23. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, pp. 54–55.
  24. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, p. 51.
  25. ↑ Chakravorty 1995, p. 64.

References

Further reading

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