---
type: LearningResource
title: "Indian Military Awards & Gallantry Honours 2025: Complete List with Latest Winners"
canonical: "https://www.easy2crack.com/study-materials/awards-and-honours/indian-military-awards-gallantry-honours-2025-eDSX5ibh"
subject: Awards and Honours
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tags: ["study-material", "notes", "awards-and-honours"]
---
# Indian Military Awards & Gallantry Honours 2025: Complete List with Latest Winners

## Wartime and Peacetime Military Gallantry Awards

Gallantry awards are military honors conferred upon members of the Indian Armed Forces for acts of exceptional valor, courage, and self-sacrifice. These are structurally categorized into wartime and peacetime decorations:

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## 1. Wartime Gallantry Awards

### Param Vir Chakra (PVC)

- Overview: India's highest military decoration, awarded for the most conspicuous bravery or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy.
- History: Established on January 26, 1950 (retroactive to August 15, 1947).
- Design: Designed by Savitri Khanolkar (wife of Army Officer Vikram Khanolkar). It features a circular bronze disc 1.375 inches (3.49 cm) in diameter. The obverse has the State Emblem in the center surrounded by four replicas of Indra's mythic weapon, the Vajra (symbolizing the bone-sacrifice of Sage Dadhichi to destroy the demon Vritra). The reverse features "Param Vir Chakra" in Hindi and English. Suspended by a purple ribbon.
- First Recipient: Major Somnath Sharma (4th Battalion, Kumaon Regiment), awarded posthumously for outstanding bravery during the Kashmir Operations in November 1947.

### Maha Vir Chakra (MVC)

- Overview: The second-highest wartime military decoration, awarded for conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy. It replaced the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
- History: Established on January 26, 1950.
- Design: Made of standard silver, circular in shape. Features a five-pointed heraldic star with the gilded State Emblem at its center on the obverse, and "Maha Vir Chakra" in Devanagari and English on the reverse. Worn with a half-white and half-orange ribbon.
- Historical Record: The largest number of MVCs awarded in a single conflict occurred during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

### Vir Chakra (VrC)

- Overview: The third-highest wartime military decoration, replacing the British Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), Military Cross (MC), and Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).
- History: Established on January 26, 1950.
- Design: A 1.375-inch circular silver medal. Features a five-pointed star with a chakra in the center and a domed gilded State Emblem. Worn with a half-blue and half-orange-saffron ribbon.
- First Recipients: First awarded to Subedar Nadikerianda Bheemaiah (Indian Army). Other early recipients include R. Kanikasamy (Army), Wing Commander Vonthibetta Prabhakar Hegde (Air Force), and Admiral Laxmi Narayan Ramdas (Navy, for actions in 1971).

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## 2. Peacetime Gallantry Awards

### Ashoka Chakra (AC)

- Overview: India's highest peacetime military decoration, equivalent to the Param Vir Chakra, awarded for pre-eminent valor, courageous action, or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield (either to military or civilian personnel). It replaced the British George Cross.
- History: Established on January 4, 1952, as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class-I"; renamed in 1967.
- Design: Circular gold gilt, 1.375 inches in diameter. Features the Ashoka Chakra surrounded by a lotus wreath on the obverse. Suspended by a dark green ribbon with a central 2 mm saffron stripe.
- First IAF Recipient: Flight Lieutenant Suhas Biswas.

### Kirti Chakra (KC)

- Overview: The peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra, awarded for conspicuous bravery away from the battlefield.
- History: Established on January 4, 1952, as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class-II"; renamed in 1967.
- Design: Circular silver medal, 1.375 inches in diameter, embossed with the Ashoka Chakra and a lotus wreath. Worn with a dark green ribbon featuring two 2 mm saffron stripes.

### Shaurya Chakra (SC)

- Overview: The peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra, awarded for exceptional valor or self-sacrifice during counter-insurgency operations or peacetime duties.
- History: Established on January 4, 1952, as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class-III"; renamed in 1967.
- Design: Circular bronze medal, 1.375 inches in diameter, featuring the Ashoka Chakra surrounded by a lotus wreath.

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