Gallantry Awards 2025

• 30 May 2025

Source: TH 

Why in News? 

The President of India conferred Gallantry Awards, including 6 Kirti Chakras (4 posthumously) and 33 Shaurya Chakras (7 posthumously), to personnel from the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces, and State/UT Police that were announced on the eve of the 76^th Republic day 2025. 

What are the Gallantry Awards? 

• About Gallantry awards: They are given to the personnel for displaying raw courage, unparalleled bravery and total disregard to personal safety in the line of duty. 
  • These gallantry awards are announced twice in a year, first on the occasion of the Republic Day and then on the occasion of the Independence Day. 
• Types: 
  • Gallantry Award in the Face of Enemy: 
    • Param Vir Chakra (PVC): It shall have embossed on the obverse four replicas of "Indra's Vajra" with the State Emblem embossed in the centre. 
      • It is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy. 
  • Mahavir Chakra (MVC): It shall have embossed on the obverse a five-pointed heraldic star with the points of the star just touching the rim. The star shall have in the centre a domed gilded State Emblem. 
    • It is awarded for acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy. 
  • Vir Chakra: The star will feature a Chakra at its centre, with a domed centerpiece inside the Chakra bearing the gilded State Emblem. 
    • It is awarded for acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy on land, at sea or in the air. The decoration may be awarded posthumously. 
• Gallantry Award Other than in the Face of Enemy:  
  • Medals: It includes Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra, on which the obverse of the medal shall be embossed a replica of the respective chakra in the centre, surrounded by a lotus wreath.  
    • Along the rim, on the inner side, shall be a pattern of lotus leaves, flowers, and buds. 
    • On its reverse shall be embossed the respective words both in Hindi and English the two versions being separated by two lotus flowers. 

 

• Order of precedence of the Award:  
  • Param Vir Chakra 
  • Ashoka Chakra 
  • Mahavir Chakra 
  • Kirti Chakra 
  • Vir Chakra 
  • Shaurya Chakra 

 

• Eligibility: 
  • Param Vir Chakra, the Maha Vir Chakra and the Vir Chakra: All ranks of the Naval, Military, Air, Reserve, and Territorial Forces, including medical and nursing staff, and civilians serving under their direction. 
  • Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra & Shaurya Chakra: All ranks of the Armed Forces, Reserve and Territorial Forces, Nursing Services, Police, Central Para-Military Forces, Railway Protection Force, and civilian citizens. 

Note: For each subsequent act of similar bravery, recipients are recognized by a Bar to the Chakra. 

• Also, both Chakra and Bar to the chakra for additional bravery may be awarded posthumously. 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards: (2021)

1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under the Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India. 
2. Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, were suspended only once. 
3. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of five in a particular year. 

Which of the above statements are not correct? 

(a) 1 and 2 only 

(b) 2 and 3 only 

(c) 1 and 3 only 

(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (d)

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000: (2021)

1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this award. 
2. The award was received mostly by ‘Formula One’ players so far. 
3. Roger Federer received this award the maximum number of times compared to others. 

Which of the above statements are correct? 

(a) 1 and 2 only  

(b) 2 and 3 only 

(c) 1 and 3 only  

(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (c)