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Param Vir Chakra

The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy.

The Param Vir Chakra was established on 26 January 1950, the Republic Day of India, by the President of India, with effect from 15 August 1947. It can be awarded to officers or enlisted personnel from all branches of the Indian military.

The medal was designed by Swiss born Eva Yuonne Linda Maday-de-Maros whose mother was Hungarian and father, Russian. She changed her name to Savitri Khanolkar and married Vikram Khanolkar, an Indian Army officer of the Sikh Regiment. Incidently, her daughter's brother-in-law, hence her son-in-law by relation, Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra.

Till date the medal has been awarded 21 times, 14 of which were awarded posthumously and 16 were awarded for their action in Indo-Pakistani war. Of the 21 awardees, 20 are from the Indian Army and one from the Indian Air Force. The Param Vir Chakra has never been awarded to anyone from the Navy, although all branches of the military are eligible for one. The Grenadiers have received the most number of Param Vir Chakras, with 3 awards. The various Gorkha Rifle regiments of the Indian Army have also received 3 awards, with the 1 Gorkha Rifles and 8 Gorkha Rifles and 11 Gorkha Rifles each having a Param Vir Chakra recipient.

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. Naib Subedar, Sanjay Kumar and Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav are the only active duty Param Vir Chakra recipients in the Indian Army.

The Ashoka Chakra is the peace time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice" other than in the face of the enemy. Unlike Param Vir Chakra, which is awarded to only military personnel, Ashok Chakra decoration may be awarded either to military or civilian personnel and may be awarded posthumously.