Param Vir Chakra (PVC)

Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India’s highest military decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy. It was instituted on 26 January 1950, with retrospective effect from 15 August 1947, the day India attained independence. The award is presented for exceptional acts of bravery or self-sacrifice during wartime.

The medal is made of bronze, featuring the Ashoka Lion Capital at the centre, surrounded by four replicas of Indra’s Vajra, symbolising strength and courage. It is worn on the left chest, suspended from a plain purple ribbon. The award can be conferred posthumously.

The Param Vir Chakra is awarded to personnel of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and other armed forces under the Ministry of Defence. As of now, only a limited number of soldiers have received this honour, reflecting its extraordinary standards of bravery. Many recipients, such as Major Somnath Sharma, Captain Vikram Batra, and Subedar Yogendra Singh Yadav, are remembered as national heroes.