MEDALS
SARVOTTAM YUDH SEVA MEDAL
Instituted on 26 Jun 1980 to recognize the distinguished service of the most exceptional order during war/conflict/hostilities.
Medal
Circular in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fittings. The medal shall be of gold gilt. The medal shall have on its obverse the State Emblem and the inscriptions “SARVOTTAM YUDH SEVA MEDAL” (in English). On its reverse, it shall have a five pointed star.
Ribbon
Golden colour with one red vertical stripe in the centre dividing it into two equal parts.
Bar
If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended. For every such Bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
Personnel Eligible
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the medal : 1. All ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including those of Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces when embodied.
2. Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.
Conditions of Eligibility
The medal is awarded for distinguished service of the most exceptional order during war/ conflict/ hostilities. The medal may be awarded posthumously.
UTTAM YUDH SEVA MEDAL
Instituted on 26 Jun 1980 to recognize the distinguished service of an exceptional order during war/conflict/hostilities.
Medal
Circular in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fittings and is made of gold gilt. The medal have on its obverse the State Emblem and the inscriptions “UTTAM YUDH SEVA MEDAL” (in English). On its reverse, it has a five pointed star.
Ribbon
Golden colour with two red vertical stripes dividing it into three equal parts.
Bar
If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended. For every such Bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
Personnel Eligible
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the medal : 1. All ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including those of Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces when embodied.
2. Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.
Conditions of Eligibility
The medal is awarded for distinguished service of an exceptional order during war/ conflict/ hostilities. The medal may be awarded posthumously.
YUDDH SEVA MEDAL
Instituted on 26 Jun 1980 to recognise distinguished service of a high order during war/conflict/hostilities.
Medal
Circular in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fittings. The medal is made of gold gilt. The medal shall have on its obverse the State Emblem and the inscriptions “YUDH SEVA MEDAL” (in English). On its reverse, it shall have a five-pointed star.
Ribbon
Gold colour with three red vertical stripes dividing it into four equal parts.
Bar
If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended. For every such Bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
Personnel Eligible
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the medal : 1. All ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces (when embodied) and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.
2. Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.
Conditions of Eligibility
The award is given for distinguished service of a high order during war/conflict/hostilities. The medal may be awarded posthumously.
PARAM VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL
Instituted on 26 Jan 1960 as VSM Class-I to recognise the distinguished service of the most exceptional order. It was renamed on 27.01.1967 as PVSM.
Medal
Round in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fittings. It is made of gold gilt. On its obverse is embossed a five-pointed star and on its reverse is the State Emblem and the inscription embossed along the upper rim.
Ribbon
The ribbon is of gold colour with one dark blue stripe down the centre dividing it into two equal parts.
Bar
If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended. For every such bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern by the Govt shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
Personnel Eligible
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the medal : 1. All ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces (when embodied) and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.
2. Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.
Conditions of Eligibility
The medal is awarded for distinguished service of the most exceptional order.
ATI VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL
Instituted on 26 Jan 1960 as VSM Class-II for distinguished Service of an exceptional order. It was renamed on 27.01.1967 as AVSM.
Medal
Circular in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fitting. The medal is made of standard silver. On its obverse is embossed a five-pointed star and on its reverse is the State Emblem and the inscription embossed along the upper rim.
Ribbon
The ribbon is of gold colour with two dark blue stripes dividing it into three equal parts.
Bar
If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended. For every such bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern by the Govt shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
Personnel Eligible
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the medal : 1. All ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces (when embodied) and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.
2. Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.
Conditions of Eligibility
The medal is awarded for distinguished service of the most exceptional order.
VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL
Instituted on 26 Jan 1960 and as VSM Class-III to recognise the distinguished service of a high order. It was renamed on 27.01.1967 as VSM.
Medal
Circular in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fitting. The medal is made of bronze. On its obverse is embossed a five-pointed star and on its reverse is the State Emblem and the inscription embossed along the upper rim.
Ribbon
The ribbon is of gold colour with three dark blue stripes dividing it into four equal parts.
Bar
If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended.
Personnel Eligible
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the medal :
1. All ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces (when embodied) and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.
2. Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.
Conditions of Eligibility
The medal is awarded for distinguished service of a high order.
VAYU SENA MEDAL
Instituted on 26 Jan 1960 to recognise exceptional devotion to duty or acts of courage by Air Force personnel. In 1994, the award was spilt into VM (Devotion to duty) and VM (Gallantry).
Medal
The medal is five-pointed star, made of standard silver 35 mm in diameter. The mounting is fixed on a ring attached to a metal strip 3 mm wide ornamented with Ashoka leaves. The State Emblem is embossed on obverse, in the centre, encircled by a garland of leaves. On its reverse, it has representation of Himalayan Eagle with the inscription below it.
Ribbon
32 mm in width in alternate stripes of saffron and silver grey, each 3 mm in width running diagonally from right to left.
Bar
The Bar to the Medal (when awarded) is attached to the ribbon by which the Medal is suspended. On those occasions when only the ribbon is worn, a suitable miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government is to be tied to the center of the ribbon.
Personnel Eligible
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the medal :
1. Officers and airmen of the Regular Air Force and officers and airmen of Auxiliary Air Force, Air Defence Reserve and Regular Reserve when called upon under Section 25 of the Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force Act, 1952.
2. Army officers serving as pilots in Aviation Corp. will also be eligible for the award of this Medal.
Conditions of Eligibility
The award is given for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Air Force. VM (Gallantry) is awarded in recognition of an act of courage whereas VM (Devotion to duty) is awarded in recognition of individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty. A bar shall be given for every subsequent award of the Medal to a person. Award may be made posthumously.
Monetary Allowance
Rs. 250/- to p.m. attached when awarded for courageous acts with effect from 01.02.1999.
MENTION-IN-DESPATCHES
Instituted on 25 Nov 1950 for distinguished and meritorious service in operational areas and acts of gallantry which are not of a sufficiently high order to warrant the grant of gallantry awards.
Medal
A recipient of a Mention-in-Despatches shall be entitled to wear an emblem, which shall be a lotus leaf on the ribbon of the Campaign Medal, relating to the Campaign in which the mention was made.
Certificate
A certificate in the following form will be issued to each individual where name is mentioned in a despatch:-
“Under the orders of the President of the Republic of India the mention of ………..’s name a despatch by the Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army/Indian Navy/Indian Air Force, was published in the Gazette of India on………..
Personnel Eligible
All Army, Navy and Air Force personnel including personnel of the Reserve Force, Territorial Army, Militia and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces, members of the Nursing services and civilians working under or with the Armed forces will be eligible.
Conditions of Eligibility
Awarded for distinguished and meritorious service in operational areas and acts of gallantry which are not of a sufficiently high order to warrant the grant of gallantry awards. Names may be included posthumously. There is no objection to a person’s name being mentioned in more than one despatch.
Important Information
