Question 1

Which is the highest wartime gallantry award in India?

Accepted Answer

Param Vir Chakra. The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy. It replaced the British Victoria Cross after India became a republic. Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient of this prestigious honor.

Question 2

What is the highest peacetime gallantry award in India?

Accepted Answer

Ashoka Chakra. The Ashoka Chakra is awarded for valor or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is equivalent to the Param Vir Chakra but specifically for peacetime operations. It can be awarded to both military personnel and civilians.

Question 3

Which award is the second-highest wartime gallantry honor in India?

Accepted Answer

Maha Vir Chakra. The Maha Vir Chakra is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy. It is a silver medal featuring a five-pointed star and the state emblem in the center. Recipients are entitled to use the abbreviation 'MVC' as a post-nominal title.

Question 4

The Kirti Chakra is the peacetime equivalent of which wartime award?

Accepted Answer

Maha Vir Chakra. The Kirti Chakra occupies the same rank in the peacetime order as the Maha Vir Chakra does in wartime. It is awarded for conspicuous bravery otherwise than in the face of the enemy. The medal is made of standard silver and features a replica of the Ashoka Chakra.

Question 5

Who was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra?

Accepted Answer

Major Somnath Sharma. Major Somnath Sharma received the award posthumously for his bravery in the 1947 Indo-Pak war. He fought valiantly at Badgam to protect the Srinagar airfield from tribal invaders. His sacrifice played a key role in saving the Kashmir valley.

Gallantry Awards — Set 1