Shaurya Chakra: History, Eligibility, Design and Recipients
Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for gallantry, otherwise than in the face of the enemy.
Gallantry Awards have been instituted by the Government of India to honour the act of courage and self-sacrifice of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces and in addition to other lawfully constituted forces and civilians. These gallantry awards are announced twice in a year that is first on the occasion of the Republic Day and on the occasion of the Independence Day.
Before going into the detail about Shaurya Chakra, let us have a glimpse of other gallantry awards.
War Time Gallantry Awards:
- Param Vir Chakra (PVC)
- Maha Vir Chakra (MVC)
- Vir Chakra
Peace Time Gallantry Awards:
- Ashok Chakra
- Kirti Chakra
- Shaurya Chakra
Therefore, Shaurya Chakra is third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards and comes after the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra. It precedes the Sena Medal.
Shaurya Chakra: History
On 4 January, 1952, it was established as the Ashoka Chakra, Class III by the Government of India, with effect from 15 August, 1947. On 27 January, 1967, the decoration was renamed as 'Shaurya Chakra' awarded for gallantry, otherwise than in the face of the enemy.
Kirti Chakra: History, Eligibility, Design and Recipients
Shaurya Chakra: Eligibility
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the Shaurya Chakra:
1. Officers, men and women of all ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, of any of the Reserve Forces, of the Territorial Army, Militia, and of any other lawfully constituted forces.
2. The members of the Nursing Services of the Armed Forces.
3. Civilian citizens of either sex in all walks of life and members of Police Forces including Central Para-Military Forces and Railway Protection Force.
Shaurya Chakra is awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy and the decoration may be awarded posthumously.
Shaurya Chakra: Design
Shaurya Chakra award constitutes Medal, Ribbon, and Bar. The details are given below:
1. Medal: It is circular in shape and made up of bronze. It is one and three-eighths inches in diameter.
2. Obverse: On the obverse of the medal, a replica of the Ashoka Chakra is embossed in the centre and is surrounded by a lotus wreath.
3. Reverse: On the reverse of the medal, the words "SHAURYA CHAKRA" shall be embossed both in Hindi and English and the two versions are separated by two lotus flowers.
4. Ribbon: A Green colour ribbon divided into four equal parts by three vertical lines.
5. Bar: If any recipient of Shaurya Chakra again performs such an act of gallantry and so it makes him or her eligible to receive the Chakra, such further act of gallantry will be recorded by a Bar which is to be attached to the riband by which the Chakra is suspended. A replica of the CHakra in miniature for every such Bar shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
Shaurya Chakra: Recipients
1. MAJ PS GAHOON
2. 2/LT M THULASIRAM
3. SUB KARTAR SINGH, MC
4. JEM SAMANDAR SINGH
5. L/NK MILKHA SINGH
6. L/NK BISHAN SINGH
7. SEP SHANKAR DASS
8. LT-COL R.A SHEBBEARE
9. MAJ S.L MENEZES
10. MAJ A.T. STEPHENSON
11. SUB MAJ DHAN SINGH
12. HAV NARANJAN SINGH
13. L/DFR SULTAN SINGH
14. RFMN BAKHTAWAR SINGH BHANDARI
15. SEP HARCHAND SINGH
16. SEP RICHHPAL SINGH
17. SEP RAM SINGH
18. LAXMAN, TOPASS
19. RFMN TIL BAHADUR GURUNG
20. BABOO LAL
21. SUB TEK BAHADUR SAHI
22. SEP THAKUR SINGH
23. LALITA MUKAND
24. TUKARAM GOVIND CHOUGULE
25. ANANT SHRIDHAR KARNIK
26. JAGDISH CHANDRA PATHAK
27. MOHAN SHANTARAM PATKAR
28. J J PIMENTA
29. JEM KULBIR THAPA
30. HAV S S BHANDARI
31. RFN GANESH BAHADUR TAMANG
32. MUTHU KRISHNAN, PO
33. AKSHYA KUMAR SINGH
34. MUTHU KRISHNA, PO
35. SCOUT CHATRA RAM
36. SCOUT TARA CHAND
37. SCOUT SAUDAGAR SINGH
38. CAPT GURBACHAN SINGH GREWAL
39. SUB KHEM CHAND
40. SUB MEGH SINGH
41. JEM RABE GURUNG, MC
42. HAV TEK BAHADUR GURUNG
43. L/HAV BALWANT SINGH
44. NK RAGHUNATH DANGE
45. SEP HANS RAJ
46. SEP NARBIR SINGH
47. SEP SHANKAR HEMBROM
48. WING COMMANDER BRIAN JOSEPH CANNEL
49. HAV MURLI RAM
50. SEP JANAK SINGH
51. SUB MOHAR SINGH
52. JEM MOHINDER SINGH
53. JEM TEK BAHADUR GURUNG
54. NK SUGRIV SINGH
55. NK PADAM SINGH GURUNG
56. SEP MEWA SINGH
57. SEP RANJIT SINGH
58. L/NK GANGA PRASAD THAPA
59. RFN PURNA BAHADUR RANA
60. RFN JOGESHWAR KUWAR and more..
