Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) (lit. 'Chakra of the Great Brave') is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The medal may be awarded posthumously.
Maha Vir Chakra | |
---|---|
Type | Medal |
Awarded for | "... acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air."[1] |
Country | Republic of India |
Presented by | Republic of India |
Eligibility | Military personnel |
Status | Currently awarded |
Established | 26 January 1950 |
First awarded | 1947 |
Last awarded | 2021 |
Total awarded posthumously | 74 |
Total recipients | 219 (as of 2021)[2][3] |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Param Vishisht Seva Medal[4] |
Equivalent | Kirti Chakra[4] |
Next (lower) | Padma Shri[4] |
Appearance
The medal is made of standard silver and is circular in shape. Embossed on the obverse is a five pointed heraldic star with circular center-piece bearing the gilded state emblem of India in the center. The words "Mahavira Chakra" are embossed in Hindi and English on the reverse with two lotus flowers in the middle. The decoration is worn on the left chest with a half-white and half-orange riband about 3.2 cm in width, the orange being near the left shoulder.[5]
History
More than 218 acts of bravery and selfless courage have been recognized since the inception of the medal. The most MVCs awarded in a single conflict was in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, when eleven were given to the Indian Air Force.
Bar to MVC
Provision was made for the award of a bar for a second award of the Maha Vir Chakra, the first two being awarded in 1965. To date, there are six known awards of a first bar:
S. No. | Rank | Name | Branch | Date of First Award | Date of Second Award |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wing Commander | Jag Mohan Nath | Indian Air Force | 1 January 1962 | 1 September 1965 |
2 | Major General | Rajinder Singh Sparrow | Indian Army | 19 March 1948 | 6 September 1965 |
3 | General | Arun Shridhar Vaidya | Indian Army | 16 September 1965 | 5 December 1971 |
4 | Wing Commander | Padmanabha Gautam | Indian Air Force | 6 September 1965 | 5 December 1971 |
5 | Colonel | Chewang Rinchen | Indian Army | 1 July 1948 | 8 December 1971 |
6 | Brigadier | Sant Singh | Indian Army | 2 November 1965 | 2 January 1972 |
No second bars have been awarded. Award of the decoration carries with it the right to use MVC as a post-nominal abbreviation.
List of recipients
The Mahavir Chakra awardees include:[6][7]
† | Indicates posthumous honour |
References
- "Maha Vir Chakra". Gallantry Awards. Indian Army. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
- "Awardees". Gallantry Awards – Ministry of Defence, Government of India. 20 November 2019. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- "SUMMARY OF HONOURS AND AWARDS TO ARMY ON REPUBLIC DAY 2021" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- "Precedence of Medals". Official Website of Indian Army. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
- "Mahavir Chakra in India". India9.com. 7 June 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
- "Awardees – Maha Vir Chakra". Gallantry Awards – Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
- "Awards: Mahavir Chakra". The War Decorated Trust. 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
- "BRIG YADUNATH SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "LT COL IJS BUTALIA MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "MAJ KHUSHAL CHAND MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "LT COL MAN MOHAN KHANNA MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "BRIG RAJENDRA SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "LT COL THAKUR PRITHI CHAND MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "MAJ ANNAVI KRISHNASWAMY RAMASWAMY MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "SEP MAN SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "L/HAV DAYA RAM MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "NK KRISHNA SONAWANE MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "MAJ SARDAR MALKIT SINGH BRAR MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "MAJ SATYA PAL CHOPRA MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "LT COL HARI CHAND MVC". One India One People. August 2014.
- "SUB GURDIAL SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". One India One People.
- "CAPT ARVIND NILKHANTH JATAR". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "RFN DHONKAL SINGH MVC". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "Lt Col Kaman Singh MVC". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "HAV LAL BAHADUR KHATTRI MVC". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "JEM HARDEV SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "NK NAR SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "Nk Raju MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "Hav Chuna Ram MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "Civ Porter Mohd Ismail, MVC". War Decorated India & Trust.
- "Sep Amar Singh, MVC". War Decorated India & Trust.
- "NK PRITAM SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "JEM SAMPOORAN SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "Hav Fateh Singh MVC". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "LT COL HARBANS SINGH VIRK, DSO, MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "MAJ ANIL KRISHNA BARAT MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "L/NK RABILAL THAPA MAHA VIR CHAKRA (Posthumous)". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "LT COL DHARAM SINGH MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "LT COL ANANT SINGH PATHANIA, MC, MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "L/HAV RAM PRASHAD GURUNG MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "BRIG KANHYA LAL ATAL MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "Captain Dara Dinshaw Mistri MVC". Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "WG CDR SIDNEY BASIL NOROHNA". Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- "Col Nirod Baran Banerjee MVC". War Decorated India & Trust.
- "Major Harbhajan Singh MVC". HonourPoint.
- "Lt Col Rai Singh – Maha Vir Chakra". Gallantry Awards, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India website.
- "Lt Col Mahatam Singh – Maha Vir Chakra". Gallantry Awards, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India website.
- "Mahavir Chakra (MVC) | Awardee: Brig Raj Kumar Singh, MVC (retd)". The War Decorated India. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- "Lieutenant Arvind Singh – Maha Vir Chakra". Gallantry Awards, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India website.
- "Sqn Ldr Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya MVC". Honourpoint.
- "MAJ KRISHNA GOPAL CHATTERJEE MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "L/Hav. Nar Bahadur Ale – Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumous)". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "Nk. Prem Bahadur Gurung – Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumous)". Indian Army, Govt of India official website.
- "Sub Sansar Chand – Maha Vir Chakra". Gallantry Awards, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- "Lt Col Inder Bal Singh Bawa – Maha Vir Chakra (Posthumous)". Gallantry Awards, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India.
- Manjeet Negi (23 November 2021). "Galwan hero Colonel Santosh Babu awarded Mahavir Chakra posthumously". India Today. Retrieved 23 November 2021.