Search
Close this search box.

21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees Every Indian Should Know

Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the highest gallantry award for officers and other enlisted personnel of all military branches of India for the highest degree of valour in the presence...

Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the highest gallantry award for officers and other enlisted personnel of all military branches of India for the highest degree of valour in the presence of the enemy. Introduced on 26th January 1950, this award may be given posthumously.

If any recipient of the PVC shall again perform such an act of bravery as would have made him or her eligible to be recorded by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the Chakra is suspended, and for every such additional act of bravery, an additional Bar shall be added, and any such Bar or Bars may also be awarded posthumously. For every Bar awarded a replica of the ‘Indra’s Vajra’ in miniature shall be added to the riband when worn alone.

ALSO READ: Wartime And Peacetime Gallantry Awards [Full List]

Literally, Param Vir Chakra means ‘Wheel of the Ultimate Brave’. In Sanskrit, ‘Param means Ultimate, ‘Vir (Pronounced veer) means Brave and ‘Chakra means Wheel.

Param Vir Chakra Front and Back.png

The PVC is the equivalent award of the Medal of Honour in the United States, and the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom.

Also Read: Indian Army Regiments Motto And War Cry [Full List]

One amongst the luminous recipients of this honour was Flying Officer Nirmal Jiit Singh Sekhon, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously in the year 1971. He is the lone Indian Air Force officer to have been honoured with the Param Vir Chakra till date.

Param Vir Chakra translates as the “Wheel of the Ultimate Brave”, and the award is granted for “most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy”. As of January 2018, the medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and one has been from the Indian Air Force. Major Somnath Sharma, was the first recipient.

A number of state governments of India as well as ministries of the central government provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC (or their family members in case of the recipient’s death). Only 21 military personnel have received this award to date

Complete List of 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees

Name Rank** Unit Date of action Conflict
Somnath Sharma Major Kumaon Regiment 3 November 1947* Battle of Badgam
Jadunath Singh Naik Rajput Regiment 6 February 1948* Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Rama Raghoba Rane Second Lieutenant Bombay Sappers 8 April 1948 Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Piru Singh Company Havildar Major Rajputana Rifles 17 July 1948* Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Karam Singh Lance Naik Sikh Regiment 13 October 1948 Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Gurbachan Singh Salaria Captain 1 Gorkha Rifles[d] 5 December 1961* Congo Crisis
Dhan Singh Thapa Major 8 Gorkha Rifles 20 October 1962 Sino-Indian War
Joginder Singh Subedar Sikh Regiment 23 October 1962* Sino-Indian War
Shaitan Singh Major Kumaon Regiment 18 November 1962* Sino-Indian War
Abdul Hamid Company Quarter Master Havildar The Grenadiers 10 September 1965* Battle of Asal Uttar
Ardeshir Tarapore Lieutenant Colonel Poona Horse 11 September 1965* Battle of Chawinda
Albert Ekka Lance Naik Brigade of the Guards 3 December 1971* Battle of Hilli
Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon Flying Officer No. 18 Squadron IAF 14 December 1971* Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Arun Khetarpal Second Lieutenant Poona Horse 16 December 1971* Battle of Basantar
Hoshiar Singh Dahiya Major The Grenadiers 17 December 1971 Battle of Basantar
Bana Singh Naib Subedar Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry 23 May 1987 Operation Rajiv
Ramaswamy Parameshwaran Major Mahar Regiment[e] 25 November 1987* Operation Pawan
Manoj Kumar Pandey Lieutenant 11 Gorkha Rifles 3 July 1999* Operation Vijay
Yogendra Singh Yadav Grenadier The Grenadiers 4 July 1999 Battle of Tiger Hill
Sanjay Kumar Rifleman Jammu and Kashmir Rifles 5 July 1999 Kargil War
Vikram Batra Captain Jammu and Kashmir Rifles 5 July 1999* Operation Vijay

This along with the * indicates that the Param Vir Chakra was awarded posthumously. ** Rank refers to the rank held at the time of the award.

  • Comment (2)
  • Why the Rank of Subedar Major Yadav and Subedar Sanjay Kumar not shown in the pictures? It is very unfortunate to see such negligence and unrespectful video from your end whoever may be the video creator.

    • Only a dumb with zero knowledge on Indian army can comment like this, they are mentioned as (then) Grenadier and Rifleman respectively which is correct.

Leave Your Comment

Related Posts

Recent Posts