GALLANTRY
AWARDS - AWARDS
News:
President approves 76
gallantry awards for Armed Forces and CAPF Personnel on eve of Independence Day
2023
What's
in the news?
● President
Droupadi Murmu approved 76 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed
Police Forces personnel on the eve of Independence Day 2023.
Key
takeaways:
● These
include 4 Kirti Chakra (posthumous), 11 Shaurya Chakras (including five
posthumous), 2 Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 52 Sena Medals (Gallantry), 3
Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and 4 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry), the ministry of
defence said.
Gallantry
awards:
● Gallantry
Awards have been instituted by the Government
of India to honour the acts of bravery and sacrifices of the
officers/personnel of the Armed Forces, other lawfully constituted forces and
civilians.
● The
gallantry awards are announced twice a year;
first on the occasion of Republic Day and secondly, on the occasion of
Independence Day.
Types
of Gallantry awards:
Gallantry
Awards are classified into two categories:
● Param
Vir Chakra (PVC)
● Mahavir
Chakra (MVC)
● Vir
Chakra
● Ashok
Chakra
● Kirti
Chakra
● Shaurya
Chakra
Important
takeaways:
War
time Highest Gallantry Awards:
● Param Vir Chakra - It
is India’s highest military decoration
awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valor during wartime whether on
land, at sea or in the air.
● Maha Vir Chakra - It
is the second highest gallantry award for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the
presence of the enemy whether on land, at sea or in the air.
● Vir Chakra - It
is the country's third-highest wartime gallantry award after Param Vir Chakra
and Maha Vir Chakra.
Peacetime
Highest Gallantry Awards:
● Ashoka Chakra -
It is the highest military award during peacetime for valor, courageous action
or sacrifice. It is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some act of daring
or pre-eminent act of valor or self-sacrifice otherwise than in the face of the
enemy.
● Kirti Chakra -
It is the second highest peacetime gallantry award and is awarded for valor,
courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle.
● Shaurya Chakra - It
is awarded to the personnel of the armed forces for instances of extraordinary
gallantry.
Other
Awards:
● Sena Medal - It
is awarded for acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in the Army.
● Nao Sena Medal - It
is awarded for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in
the Navy.
● Vayu Sena Medal -
It is awarded for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in
the Air Force.
Order
of precedence:
Selection
process:
● The
Ministry of Defence invites recommendations twice in a year from the Armed
Forces and Union Ministry of Home Affairs for gallantry awards.
● In
respect of the Armed Forces, a case for the gallantry award is initiated by the
Unit and if found fit the same is forwarded to respective Services Headquarters
duly recommended by Commanders in the chain, immediately after the act of
gallantry is performed.
● All
such proposals are then considered by the Awards
Committee at Services Headquarters before recommending the proposals to the
Ministry of Defence with the
approval of the respective Chiefs.
● Recommendations
are received from the Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA).
● MHA
calls for recommendations from all State/UT Governments, Central Ministries/
Departments, Central Armed Police Forces and Railway Protection Force etc.