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The Param Vir Chakra is an Indian military decoration given for valour in

combat operations. It is considered to be India's highest military honor. The

second word is pronounced 'Veer'. The name is sometimes abbreviated as

PVC. It literally means 'Cross of the Ultimate Brave' (Sanskrit: Param,

Ultimate; Vir (Pronounced veer), Brave; Chakra, Wheel or Cross)

Paramvir Chakra

The medal is made of bronze.

The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the highest gallantry award for officers and

other enlisted personnel of all military branches of India for the highest

degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. It may be

awarded posthumously and, indeed, most of the awards have been

posthumous.

Provision was made for the award of a bar for second (or subsequent)

awards of the Param Vir Chakra. To date, there have been no such awards.

Award of the decoration carries with it the right to use P.V.C. as a

postnominal abbreviation.

The award also carries a cash allowance for those under the rank of second

lieutenant (or the appropriate service equivalent) and, in some cases, a lump-

sum cash award. On the death of the recipient, the pension was transferred to

the widow until her death or remarriage. This pension has been a rathercontroversial issue throughout the life of the decoration. By March 1999, the

stipend stood at Rs. 1500 per month. In addition, many states have

established individual pension rewards for the recipients of the decoration.

The PVC was established on January 26, 1950, by the President of India,

with effect from August 15, 1947, and presently it is the second highest

award of the government of India after Bharat Ratna (amendment in the

statute on January 26, 1980 resulted in this order of wearing).

The medal was designed by Mrs Savitri Khanolankar (born Eva Yuonne

Linda Maday-de-Maros to a Hungarian father and Russian mother) who was

married to an Indian Army officer. By sheer coincidence, the first PVC was

awarded to her son-in-law Major Som Nath Sharma for his bravery in the

Kashmir operations in November 1947. He died while evicting Pakistani

raiders from Srinagar Airport. This was when India and newly-formed

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Pakistan had the first war over the Kashmir issue.

1-3/8 inch, circular bronze medal. In the center, on a raised circle, the state

emblem. Surrounding this, four replicas of Indra's Vajra (the all-powerful

mythic weapon on the ancient Vedic god of war). The decoration is

suspended from a straight swiveling suspension bar. It is named on the edge.

On the rear, around a plain center, two legends separated by lotus flowers.

The words Param Vir Chakra are written in Hindi and English.

The decoration is suspended from a straight swiveling suspension bar.

The ribbon which holds the PVC is of 32 mm length and purple in colour.

The award carries a cash allowance for those under the rank of second

lieutenant (or the appropriate service equivalent) and, in some cases, a lump-

sum cash award. Subedar Major Bana Singh of the 8 Jammu and Kashmir

Light Infantry was the only serving personnel of the Indian defence

establishment with a PVC till the Kargil operations.

The medal was designed to symbolise Rishi Dadich who donated his thigh

bones to gods for making Vajra and Shiva