GALLANTRY

AWARDS
A award of bravery

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 GALLANTRY AWARDS

Gallantry Awards have been established by the Government of

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 PARAM VIR CHAKRA

 It is the highest gallantry award for military personnel of Indian Armed
Forces. The award was introduced on 26 January 1950 .The award is given
for extreme act of selflessness and courage while fighting from enemies.
According to Sanskrit language, ‘Param’ means Ultimate, ‘Vir’ means
Brave and ‘Chakra’ is a word for wheel.

Medal:  Circular in shape, made of bronze, one and three eighth inches in
diameter and shall have embossed on the obverse four replicas of "Indra's
Vajra" with the State Emblem embossed in the centre.

Ribbon: Plain purple coloured ribbon.

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 MAHA VIR CHAKRA

 The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India.
It is awarded for the act of bravery against enemy in a combat whether
at land, sea or air. This award also can be given to the officer
posthumously. In the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971, where India forced
Pakistan to surrender, most Maha Vir Chakras were awarded in a single
conflict where Indian Air Force received eleven of those.
Medal:  Circular in shape and of standard silver, one and three eighth
inches in diameter, and shall have embossed on the obverse a five-
pointed heraldic star with the points of the star just touching the rim.
The star shall have in the centre a domed gilded State Emblem.
Ribbon: The ribbon is of a half-white and half-orange colour.

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 VIR CHAKRA

Vir Chakra is awarded for the act of bravery in the battlefield. It comes
third at precedence order after the Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra
in the list of war time gallantry awards. This award can be given after the
death of the personnel similar to above two awards.

Medal: Circular in shape and of standard silver, one and three eighth
inches in diameter, and shall have embossed on the obverse a five-
pointed heraldic star with the points of the star just touching the rim. The
star shall have in the centre a Chakra and within the Chakra shall be a
domed centre piece bearing the gilded State Emblem.

Ribbon: The ribbon is of half blue and half orange in colour.

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 ELIGIBILITY
The following categories of persons shall
be eligible for the Param Vir Chakra, the Conditions of Eligibility:
Maha Vir Chakra and the Vir Chakra:

• Officers and men and women of all ranks of • The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for most
the Naval, Military and Air Forces, of any of the conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-
Reserve Forces, of the Territorial Army, Militia eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, in the
and of any other lawfully constituted Armed presence of the enemy, whether on land, at
Forces. sea, or in the air.
• Matrons, Sisters, Nurses and the Staff of the • The Maha Vir Chakra is awarded for acts of
Nursing Services and other Services pertaining conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the
to Hospitals and Nursing, and Civilians of either
enemy whether on land, at sea or in the air.
sex serving regularly or temporarily under the
• The Vir Chakra is awarded for acts of
orders, directions or supervision of any of the
above-mentioned Forces. gallantry in the presence of the enemy,
whether on land or at sea or in the air.

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 INVESTITURE
CEREMONY
Gallantry awards along with some other Defence
Distinguished Service awards are conferred to the
awardees/Next-of-Kins (NoKs) by the President at the
Defence Investiture Ceremony held every year at the
Rashtrapati Bhawan. However, the Param Vir Chakra and
the Ashoka Chakra are conferred by the President to the
awardees/NoKs on the occasion of the Republic Day Parade
at the Rajpath.

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 • Captain Vikram Batra, popularly remembered
CAPTAIN VIKRAM as the “Shershah of Kargil” was born on 9
September 1974. He was the elder twin son
BATRA of Girdhari Lal Batra and Kamal Batra from
Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. As a child,
Captain Batra had always been inspired to
Service Number IC-57556H join the forces. He attended DAV College
Rank Captain Chandigarh, where he had joined the
National Cadet Corps (NCC). He attended DAV
Name Vikram Batra College Chandigarh, where he had joined the
Son of Girdhari lal batra National Cadet Corps (NCC). During the inter-
state NCC Camp, he was adjudged the best
Resident of Palampur,Himachal NCC Cadet Air Wing. He even attended and
Pradesh marched at the Republic Day Parade. Later he
Unit 13 Jammu and informed his parents about his desire to join
Kashmir Rifles the forces. He was commissioned into the
Regiment Indian Army on 6 December 1997 in the 13
Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (JAK RIF).
Service Indian Army
Date of enrolment 6th December 1997

Awards Param Vir Chakra

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CITATION
Captain Vikram Batra (IC-57556), 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, (Posthumous) In Drass Sector, the enemy held strong
fortified positions, heavily reinforced with automatic weapons, with treacherous approaches dominating Srinagar-Leh Road,
the lifeline of supplies to Leh. On 20 June 1999, Captain Vikram Batra, Commander Delta Company, was tasked to attack Pt.
5140 during Operation VIJAY. Captain Vikram Batra, with his company, skirted around the feature from the East and
maintaining surprise reached within the assaulting distance. The officer reorganized his column and motivated his men to
physically assault the enemy positions. Leading his men from the front, the officer in a daredevil assault pounced on the
enemy and killed four intruders in a hand-to-hand fight.
On 7 July 1999, in yet another operation in the area of Point 4875, the company of the officer was tasked to clear a narrow
feature with sharp cuttings on either side and heavily fortified enemy defences, that covered the only approach to it.
In order to speed up the operation, the officer decided to assault the enemy positions along a narrow ridge. Leading the
assault, he engaged the enemy in a fierce hand-to-hand fight and killed five enemy soldiers at point blank range. In this
action, Captain Batra sustained grievous injuries. Despite the serious injuries, he crawled towards the enemy and hurled
grenades clearing the position. Leading from the front he rallied his men and pressed on the attack and achieved a near
impossible military task in the face of heavy enemy fire with utter disregard for personal safety. The officer, however,
succumbed to his injuries. Inspired by this display of extraordinary junior leadership, the troops fell upon the enemy with
vengeance and annihilated them, finally capturing Pt. 4875.
Captain Batra’s inspiring leadership, dedication to duty and steadfast love for his country continue to be an inspiration to the
young generation. Captain Vikram Batra, thus, displayed the most conspicuous personal bravery and junior leadership of the
highest order in the face of the enemy and made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Army.

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THANK YOU

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