The Kirti Chakra is an Indian
military decoration
Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...
awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the ''peacetime equivalent'' of the
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) () is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the B ...
. It is second in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards, comes after
Ashoka Chakra
Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...
and before
Shaurya Chakra
The Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, sometimes posthumously ...
. Before 1967, the award was known as the ''Ashoka Chakra, Class II.''
History
Established as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class II" by the President of India, 4 January 1952 (with effect from 15 August 1947). The statutes were revised and the decoration renamed on 27 January 1967.
To understand the award better, a sample recipient would be No. 18161 Naik Mukhtiar Singh, 4 J. & K. Infantry (to date from 19 March 1956).
''"On the night of 18/19 March 1956, the position occupied by our troops on the Bela at Hussainiwala Headworks, near Ferozepore on the Indo-Pakistani Border was attacked. Approximately one platoon of attackers managed to secure a foothold on the Bela from the left flank. On being ordered by his platoon commander to take his section to the threatened flank and stem the advance, No. 18161 Naik Mukhtiar Singh personally led his section through heavy automatic fire. He inflicted two casualties on the attackers, captured their rifles and led his section up to the right Guide Bund and secured his objective. Whilst his section was securing the objective on the Bund, a hand grenade landed near him in the midst of his section. To save his section, he lifted the grenade with his left hand and tried to throw it back on the attackers. The grenade exploded in the meantime and his left elbow was blown off. Though seriously wounded he continued to exhort his men to fight on and refused to be evacuated. No. 18161 Naik Mukhtiar Singh by his high example of personal leadership, courage and complete disregard for his personal safety averted a disaster to his section and to the Bela Position."''[No. 4-Pres/57 of 26 January 1957, in Gazette of India, part I, section 1, 26 January 1957, p. 22.]
Design
* Medal: It is circular in shape and is made of standard silver, one and three eight inches in diameter.
* Obverse: On the obverse of the medal shall be embossed a replica of Ashoka Chakra in the centre, surrounded by a lotus wreath.
* Reverse:On its reverse shall be embossed the words KIRTI CHAKRA both in Hindi and in English the versions being separated by two lotus flowers.For pre-1967 awards, the medal is blank in the centre, with "Ashoka Chakra" in Hindi along the upper edge on the medal and the same name in English along the lower rim, "ASHOKA CHAKRA". On either side is a lotus design. The centre is blank, perhaps with the intent that details of the award be engraved there. There is no indication of the class on the pre-1967 awards. For the post-1967 awards, the, names are changed to "Kirti Chakra" in Hindi above and "KIRTI CHAKRA" below.
* Ribbon: 30 mm, dark green with two 2 mm saffron stripes. Dark green 8.5 mm, saffron 2 mm, dark green 9 mm, saffron 2 mm, dark green 8.5 mm.
* Bar:If a recipient of the Chakra again performs such an act of gallantry as would have made him or her eligible to receive the Chakra, such further act of bravery shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the Chakra is suspended. For every Bar awarded, a replica of the Chakra in miniature shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
Eligibility
Personnel Eligible: The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the Chakra :-
*Officers, men and women of all ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, of any of the Reserve Forces, of the Territorial Army, Militia and of any other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.
*Members of the Nursing Services of the Armed Forces.
*Civilian citizens of either sex in all walks of life and members of Police Forces including Central Para-Military Forces and Railway Protection Force.
Conditions of Eligibility: The medal is awarded for conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy. The decoration may be awarded posthumously. Monetary Allowance. Rs. 1050/- pm and each bar to the decoration will carry the same amount of monetary allowance as admissible to the original award with effect from 01.02.1999.
Recipients
Trivia
*
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
(later
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
)
Joginder Singh Gharaya and other 11 persons were first recipients of the Kirti Chakra.
* B.B.L. Datt was the first civilian recipient of the Kirti Chakra.
* Glori Berry, a flight attendant of Air India was the female recipient of the Kirti Chakra.
*
Wing Commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
Ravish Malhotra
Ravish Malhotra (born 25 December 1943 in Lahore, British India) is a retired Air commodore (India), Air Commodore of the Indian Air Force. He was an Air Force test pilot stationed at the test centre in Bangalore. He was also the Air Officer Com ...
is the first astronaut to be awarded with the Kirti Chakra.
*Only one Soldier,
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair
Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair, AC, KC (popularly known as "NJ") was a highly decorated officer of the Indian Army. On 20 December 1993, while heading an advance party of the battalion, his convoy was ambushed by Naga rebels. Nair pers ...
has been awarded both the Kirti Chakra and the
Ashok Chakra, making him the most decorated soldier (for bravery) in India.
Outline:
* Ashoka Chakra, Class II (1952–67)
* Kirti Chakra (1967--)
References
External links
Kirti Chakraat
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
website
Kirtichakra Medal
{{India Honours and Decorations
Military awards and decorations of India
Kirti Chakra
Courage awards