Param Vir Chakra
Name Rank Unit Date of action Conflict Place of action
Somnath Sharma Major Kumaon Regiment 3 November 1947 * Battle of Badgam Badgam , J & K , India
Jadu Nath Singh Naik Rajput Regiment 6 February 1948 * Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Naushera , J & K , India
Rama Raghoba Rane Second Lieutenant Bombay Sappers 8 April 1948 Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Naushera , J & K , India
Piru Singh Shekhawat Company Havildar Major Rajputana Rifles 17 July 1948 * Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Tithwal , J & K , India
Karam Singh Lance Naik Sikh Regiment 13 October 1948 Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 Tithwal , J & K , India
Gurbachan Singh Salaria Captain 1 Gorkha Rifles 5 December 1961 * Congo Crisis Élisabethville , Katanga , Congo
Dhan Singh Thapa Major 8 Gorkha Rifles 20 October 1962 Sino-Indian War Ladakh , J & K , India
Joginder Singh Sahnan Subedar Sikh Regiment 23 October 1962 * Sino-Indian War Tongpen La , NEFA , India
Shaitan Singh Major Kumaon Regiment 18 November 1962 * Sino-Indian War Rezang La , J & K , India
Abdul Hamid Company Quarter Master Havildar The Grenadiers 10 September 1965 * Battle of Asal Uttar Khemkaran , India
Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore Lieutenant Colonel Poona Horse 11 September 1965 * Battle of Chawinda Phillora , Sialkot , Pakistan
Albert Ekka Lance Naik Brigade of the Guards 3 December 1971 * Battle of Hilli Gangasagar , Agartala , India
Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon Flying Officer No . 18 Squadron IAF 14 December 1971 * Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Srinagar , J & K , India
Arun Khetarpal Second Lieutenant Poona Horse 16 December 1971 * Battle of Basantar Barapind-Jarpal , Shakargarh , Pakistan
Hoshiar Singh Dahiya Major The Grenadiers 17 December 1971 Battle of Basantar Basantar River , Shakargarh , Pakistan
Bana Singh Naib Subedar Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry 23 May 1987 Operation Rajiv Siachen Glacier , J & K , India
Ramaswamy Parameshwaran Major Mahar Regiment 25 November 1987 * Operation Pawan Sri Lanka
Manoj Kumar Pandey Captain 11 Gorkha Rifles 3 July 1999 * Operation Vijay Khaluber /Juber Top , J & K , India
Yogendra Singh Yadav Grenadier The Grenadiers 4 July 1999 Battle of Tiger Hill Tiger Hill , J & K , India
Sanjay Kumar Rifleman Jammu & Kashmir Rifles 5 July 1999 Kargil War Kargil , J & K , India
Recipients
The three living recipients of the Param Vir Chakra : Yogendra Singh Yadav , Bana Singh , and Sanjay Kumar The PVC has been awarded 21 times , of which 14 were awarded posthumously and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts . [ 20 ] [ 21 ] Of the 21 awardees , 20 have been from the Indian Army , and one has been from the Indian Air Force . The Grenadiers , with three awards , have received the greatest number of Param Vir Chakras . The various Gorkha Rifle regiments of the Indian Army have received three awards , with the 1 , 8 , and 11 Gorkha Rifle regiments each having one PVC recipient . [ 22 ] As of January 2018 [ update ] , Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon , who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously in 1971 , is the only Indian Air Force officer to have been honoured with the medal . [ 5 ] [ 22 ] Subedar Major Bana Singh , Subedar Sanjay Kumar and Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav , are the only living recipients of the award . [ 21 ] ** Rank refers to rank held at time of award .
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime. Param Vir Chakra translates as the Wheel of the Ultimate Brave, and the award is granted for most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy. The medal of the PVC was designed by Savitri Khanolkar, whose daughter's brother-in-law, Major Somnath Sharma, was coincidentally awarded the first PVC. As of January 2018[update], the medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and one has been from the Indian Air Force. A number of central and state governments and ministries of India provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC (or their family members in case of the recipient's death). Only 21 military personnel have received this award to date. The history of present-day Indian gallantry awards can be traced back to the rule of the East India Company, when the first formal award was instituted by Lord William Bentinck in 1834 as the Order of Merit, later renamed the Indian Order of Merit in 1902. During the First World War, the British awards system was adopted and continued through the Second World War. Post-independence, new awards were instituted on 26 January 1950, with retroactive effect from 15 August 1947. The PVC is equivalent to the Medal of Honor in the United States and the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom.