The Param Vir Chakra–For the Ultimate Brave

The Param Vir Chakra or PVC is considered the highest military decoration of India, and it is being awarded to display some eminent acts of valour at the time of the war. Param Vir Chakra does translate the word “Wheel of the Ultimate Brave”. This award is presented to people for their outstanding bravery when they confronted their enemies. Param Vir Chakra is awarded to Indian Armed Forces’ members as they had displayed strong courage as well as selfless devotion to their duty. Again, they never failed in defending their nation’s borders. 

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Until January 2018, this medal has been awarded twenty-one times, and amongst them, fourteen happened to be posthumous, and sixteen happened from actions in the conflicts of India and Pakistan. Of the list of Param Vir Chakra awardees, one hailed from the AIF or Indian Air Force, while 20 are from the Indian Army. 

Who was the First Recipient of Param Vir Chakra?

If you don’t know who was the first winner of Param Vir Chakra, then you need to know that Major Somnath Sharma happened to be the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra list. Many Indian state governments, besides the Central government ministers, propose rewards and allowances to the PVC recipients. Now, if the recipient isn’t alive, then this award is presented to his family member). To this day, the list of Param Vir Chakra awardees is only twenty-one, and only they can boast of receiving this award.

The Param Vir Chakra Awardee List:

The Param Vir Chakra awardee list is a long one, and it is as follows:

•  Major Somnath Sharma – Among the PVC awardees, Major Sharma was the first. He received this award on the 3rd of November 1947.

• 2nd Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane – Lieutenant Rane is another member of the Param Veer Chakra list, and he received this award on the 8th of April 1948.

• Naik Jadu Nath Singh – Naik Jadu Nath Singh is one of the Param Vir Chakra recipients, and he received this award on the 6th of February, 1948.

• Company Havildar Maj. Piru Singh Shekhawat – Maj. Shekhawat received this award on the 18th of July 1948.

• Lance Naik Karam Singh – Mr Singh received this award on the 13th of October, 1948.

• Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria – Captain Salaria received this award on the 5th of December 1961.

• Major Dhan Singh Thapa – Maj. Thapa received Param Vir Chakra on the 21st of October, 1962.

• Subedar Joginder Singh – Singh received Param Vir Chakra on the 23rd of October, 1962.

• Major Shaitan Singh – Major Singh received PVC on the 18th of November, 1962.

• Havildar Abdul Hamid – Hamid did receive Param Vir Chakra on the 10th of September, 1965.

• Lt.-Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore – Tarapore received Param Vir Chakra on the 11th of September, 1965.

• Lance Naik Albert Ekka – Ekka received PVC on the 4th of December, 1971.

• Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon – Sekhon received Param Vir Chakra on the 14th of December, 1971.

• 2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal – Lieutenant Khetarpal received PVC on the 16th of December, 1971.

• Major Hoshiar Singh – Maj. Singh received Param Vir Chakra on the 17th of December, 1971.

• Naib Subedar Bana Singh – Singh was awarded Param Vir Chakra on the 23rd of May, 1987.

• Major Ramaswamy Parameshwaran – Maj. Parameshwaran received Param Vir Chakra on the 25th of November, 1987.

• Captain Major Kr. Pandey – Captain Pandey received PVC on the 3rd of July, 1999.

• Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav – Yadav received Param Vir Chakra on the 4th of July, 1999.

• Rifleman Sanjay Kumar – Sanjay Kumar was awarded Param Vir Chakra on the 4th of July, 1999.

• Captain Vikram Batra – Captain Vikram Batra was awarded PVC on the 7th of July, 1999.

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The Introduction of Param Vir Chakra:

Param Vir Chakra was introduced on the 26th of January 1950, and it is commonly awarded posthumously. It is the highest wartime medal for gallantry, and it is presented to the officers as well as various other enlisted personnel who are related to many Indian military branches. All the awardees of Param Vir Chakra have the uppermost degree of valour that they have shown in the air, at sea, on land, or when their enemies are present. 

Though this medal was familiarized in January 1950, it came into effect from the 15th of August 1947. This is formed from bronze, and it could be awarded posthumously. PVC holds the same value as the Medal of Honor that is presented in the US and the Victoria Cross that is presented in the UK. 

Some Vital Facts about Param Vir Chakra:

Param Vir Chakra is considered the highest military decoration of India, and it is awarded for the highly conspicuous bravery or pre-eminent or daring acts of self-sacrifice or valour. The notable thing is all the awardees have shown their act of bravery while they were in front of their enemies, no matter if they were in the air, at sea, or on land. Though these words sound sufficiently simple, the majority of the people fail to realize the load they carry. Showing bravery when you face the odds is something that people cannot teach you. People are born with this trait. Though the IAF has witnessed many brave sons who have made supreme sacrifices, only twenty-one men are acknowledged as true awardees of the PVC.

• The PVC isn’t handed out on some silver platter only as it is acknowledged as a rare honour. This is the reason only twenty-one people are awarded the Param Vir Chakra. Among them, 2/3rds happen to be posthumous.

• One recipient from these recipients comes from the background of the Air Force. Nonetheless, till now, none of the recipients hailing from the Navy through every military branch is eligible to get the Param Vir Chakra.

• This award has the value of a cash allowance of Rs. 10,000 every month.

• Eva Yuonne Linda Maday-de-Maros, a Swiss-born woman, designed the PVC. Her father was Russian, and her mother was a Hungarian lady. When she married Vikram Khanolkar, she moved to India and altered her name to Savitri Bai Khanolkar.

• Savitri shifted her attention towards Hindu mythology for the inspiration that she got for designing the medal. For the designing purpose, she selected a modest purple ribbon beside Rishi Dadhichi’s motif. Param Vir Chakra has got four replicas of the Vajra of Indra, and it is created from the bones of Dadhichi that symbolize his sacrifice, and this surrounds the national emblem.

• Incidentally, the brother-in-law of the daughter of Savitri, Maj. Somnath Sharma became the 1st recipient of the PVC.

• Actually, this medal did not exist when Maj. Somnath Sharma’s life ended on the 3rd of November 1947, in Kashmir. The medal was familiarized on the day when India turned into a Republic, which means on the 26th of January 1950. 

• The medal has a radius of 1-3/8 inches and is created from bronze. If you see the back of PVC, then you will find written words, “Param Vir Chakra”. This is written in both English and Hindu, and a Lotus separates them.

• Only a couple of recipients of PVC continue to be on active duty, and they are Naib Subedar Sanjay Kumar and Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav.

• Every awardee of the Param Vir Chakra has got the right to utilize PVC in the form of a post-nominal abbreviation.

• Awardees can be awarded the PVC for the 2nd time, and for each Bar that is awarded, a copy of India’s Vajra would be included in the ribbon. However, no one has been awarded the PVC twice till now.

Some Fun Facts about the Param Vir Chakra:

• The medal happens to be circular, and it is 1 and 3 inches in diameter, and the fitting of the PVC is swivel mounting.

• The ribbon of the Param Vir Chakra is of plain purple colour.

• When any recipient of the PVC performs an act of bravery again, and if it turns him/her eligible for receiving the Chakra, then he/she will be entitled to receive this award again. A bar will record the person’s act of bravery, and it will be linked to the riband through which the Chakra will be suspended.