The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India’s highest wartime gallantry award — given for the most conspicuous bravery or self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, instituted on 26 January 1950.
Since its establishment, only 21 soldiers have been awarded the Param Vir Chakra — 14 of them posthumously. From Major Somnath Sharma in the 1947 Kashmir War to Captain Vikram Batra in the 1999 Kargil War, each PVC recipient represents the ultimate courage of India’s armed forces. As of 2025, only 3 living recipients remain: Bana Singh, Yogendra Singh Yadav, and Sanjay Kumar. This topic is consistently tested in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, NDA, CDS, and all Defence-focused competitive exams.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Param Vir Chakra — India’s highest military honour; equivalent to the Victoria Cross (UK) or Medal of Honor (USA).
- Instituted on 26 January 1950 — the same day India became a Republic. Designed by Savitri Khanolkar (a Swiss-born Indian woman).
- Major Somnath Sharma — first-ever PVC recipient (posthumous); 1947 Kashmir War; held Badgam airfield. Designer Savitri Khanolkar was his mother-in-law.
- 21 PVCs total — 14 posthumous, 3 living. Wars with most PVCs: Kashmir War 1947 and 1971 Indo-Pak War (6 each). Living recipients (as of 2025): Bana Singh, Yogendra Singh Yadav, Sanjay Kumar.
- Captain Vikram Batra — most celebrated Kargil War PVC; “Yeh Dil Maange More!”; call sign “Sher Shah”; immortalised in film “Shershaah” (2021).
Three uniquely tested PVC “firsts” — confuse them at your peril:
- First PVC ever: Major Somnath Sharma (not Vikram Batra, not Shaitan Singh)
- Only Air Force PVC: Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon — 1971 War (not Army; not living)
- Only PVC for action outside India: Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria — Congo UN Mission 1961 (not Kargil, not 1971)
- Youngest PVC recipient: Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav — Kargil 1999, age 19 (alive)
✅ My Progress Tracker
🏅 Complete List of Param Vir Chakra Awardees
| # ↕ | Recipient ↕ | Rank | Regiment / Unit | War / Conflict | Year ↕ | Status | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somnath Sharma | Major | 4 Kumaon Regiment | Kashmir War (1947) | 1950 | Posthumous | FIRST-EVER PVC recipient; held Badgam airfield; his mother-in-law designed the medal Hot |
| 2 | Rama Raghoba Rane | 2nd Lieutenant | Corps of Engineers | Kashmir War (1947) | 1950 | Deceased (1994) | Cleared minefields under fire to allow tanks to advance; first living PVC recipient at time of award |
| 3 | Karam Singh | Lance Naik (later Hon. Capt.) | 1 Sikh Regiment | Kashmir War (1947–48) | 1950 | Deceased (1993) | First non-posthumous PVC recipient; held Richhmar Gali post at Tithwal against 10:1 odds on 13 Oct 1948; also held UK Military Medal Hot |
| 4 | Jadunath Singh | Company Havildar Major | 1 Rajput Regiment | Kashmir War (1947–48) | 1950 | Posthumous | Held Naushera post against large Pakistani force; killed defending position |
| 5 | Ramrao Rawatpure | Naib Subedar | Rajput Regiment | Kashmir War (1947–48) | 1950 | Posthumous | Gallant action in early Kashmir operations; posthumous |
| 6 | Piru Singh Shekhawat | Company Havildar Major | 6 Rajputana Rifles | Kashmir War (1947–48) | 1950 | Posthumous | Attacked enemy alone at Tithwal after all officers fell; killed after destroying enemy posts |
| 7 | Gurbachan Singh Salaria | Captain | 3 Gorkha Rifles | Congo (UN Mission, 1961) | 1962 | Posthumous | ONLY PVC for action outside India; UN Congo mission; killed at Elizabethville Hot |
| 8 | Dhan Singh Thapa | Major | 8 Gorkha Rifles | Sino-Indian War (1962) | 1962 | Deceased (2005) | Led resistance at Sirijap; presumed dead; later found as POW; survived; died 2005 |
| 9 | Joginder Singh | Subedar | 1 Sikh | Sino-Indian War (1962) | 1962 | Posthumous | Held post with 20 men against 200+ Chinese; wounded 3 times; last seen charging with bayonet |
| 10 | Shaitan Singh | Major | 13 Kumaon | Sino-Indian War (1962) — Rezang La | 1963 | Posthumous | Battle of Rezang La; 114 of 120 died at −40°C; never retreated; last man standing Hot |
| 11 | Abdul Hamid | Company Havildar Major | 4 Grenadiers | 1965 Indo-Pak War | 1965 | Posthumous | Destroyed Pakistani Patton tanks with recoilless gun on jeep at Asal Uttar; killed in action Hot |
| 12 | A.B. Tarapore | Lt. Colonel | 17 Poona Horse | 1965 Indo-Pak War | 1965 | Posthumous | Led armoured column at Phillora & Chawinda; destroyed 60 enemy tanks before dying of wounds |
| 13 | Arun Khetarpal | 2nd Lieutenant | 17 Poona Horse | 1971 Indo-Pak War | 1972 | Posthumous | Youngest officer (21 yrs) for PVC in 1971; fought fatally wounded in Centurion tank at Basantar |
| 14 | Albert Ekka | Lance Naik | Brigade of Guards | 1971 Indo-Pak War | 1972 | Posthumous | Charged enemy machine gun post at Gangasagar (Bangladesh front); wounded multiple times; died |
| 15 | Hoshiyar Singh | Subedar Major | 3 Grenadiers | 1971 Indo-Pak War | 1973 | Deceased | Led company attack under intense fire; survived serious wounds; later deceased |
| 16 | Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon | Flying Officer | IAF — No. 18 Squadron | 1971 Indo-Pak War | 1972 | Posthumous | ONLY Air Force officer to receive PVC; engaged 6 Pakistani Sabres alone; shot down 2; Gnat aircraft Hot |
| 17 | Bana Singh | Nb Subedar | 8 JAK LI | Siachen Conflict (1987) | 1987 | Living | Scaled near-vertical ice wall at 6,000 m to capture Pakistani post “Quaid” on Siachen; only Siachen PVC Hot |
| 18 | Ramaswamy Parameswaran | Major | 8 Mahar Regiment | Sri Lanka (IPKF, 1987) | 1988 | Posthumous | ONLY PVC from Sri Lanka / IPKF; ambushed by LTTE; snatched enemy rifle and fought till death (25 Nov 1987) Hot |
| 19 | Vikram Batra | Captain | 13 JAK RIF | Kargil War (1999) | 1999 | Posthumous | “Yeh Dil Maange More”; call sign “Sher Shah”; captured Pt 4875 & Pt 5140; film “Shershaah” (2021) Hot |
| 20 | Yogendra Singh Yadav | Grenadier | 18 Grenadiers | Kargil War (1999) | 2000 | Living | Youngest PVC recipient — age 19; scaled near-vertical cliff at Tiger Hill while severely wounded; survived Hot |
| 21 | Sanjay Kumar | Rifleman | 13 JAK RIF | Kargil War (1999) | 2000 | Living | Captured three enemy machine gun bunkers single-handedly at Point 4875; wounded; survived |
| 22 | Manoj Kumar Pandey | Captain | 1/11 Gorkha Rifles | Kargil War (1999) | 1999 | Posthumous | Cleared multiple enemy positions in Batalik sector; killed leading final assault at Jubar Top; posthumous |
| War / Conflict | Year | PVC Count | Key Recipients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kashmir War | 1947–48 | 6 | Somnath Sharma (first PVC ever), Rama Raghoba Rane, Karam Singh, Jadunath Singh, Ramrao Rawatpure, Piru Singh Shekhawat |
| UN Congo Mission | 1961 | 1 | Gurbachan Singh Salaria (only PVC for action outside India) |
| Sino-Indian War | 1962 | 3 | Dhan Singh Thapa, Joginder Singh, Shaitan Singh (Rezang La) |
| 1965 Indo-Pak War | 1965 | 2 | Abdul Hamid (Asal Uttar — Patton tanks), A.B. Tarapore (Chawinda) |
| 1971 Indo-Pak War | 1971 | 6 | Arun Khetarpal, Albert Ekka, Hoshiyar Singh, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon (IAF — only AF PVC) |
| Siachen Conflict | 1987 | 1 | Bana Singh (captured Pakistani post “Quaid” at 6,000 m) |
| Sri Lanka (IPKF) | 1987 | 1 | Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran (8 Mahar; ambushed by LTTE; only IPKF PVC; posthumous) |
| Kargil War | 1999 | 4 | Vikram Batra, Yogendra Singh Yadav, Sanjay Kumar, Manoj Kumar Pandey |
⚖️ Compare Two PVC Recipients
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
- Name: “Param Vir Chakra” = Wheel of the Brave (Param = highest; Vir = brave; Chakra = wheel)
- Instituted: 26 January 1950 (Republic Day) — same day India became a republic
- Designed by: Savitri Khanolkar (born Eva Yuanne Maday de Maros) — a Swiss-born woman who married an Indian Army officer; deeply immersed in Hindu culture and symbolism
- Medal design: Bronze; Indra’s Vajra (thunderbolt) on the obverse; “Param Vir Chakra” in Hindi and English on the reverse
- Ribbon colour: Purple
- Remarkable coincidence: Savitri Khanolkar designed the medal; her son-in-law Major Somnath Sharma became the first recipient
Action on 3 November 1947 at Badgam (near Srinagar airport), Kashmir. Somnath Sharma led D Company of 4 Kumaon against Pakistani tribesmen trying to capture Srinagar airport. Despite having a plastered arm (injured playing hockey), he led his men against a numerically superior enemy. While personally loading a jammed Bren LMG, he was hit by a mortar round. His famous last radio message: “The enemy is only 50 yards from us. We are heavily outnumbered. We are under devastating fire. I will not withdraw an inch but will fight to the last man and the last round.” His delaying action saved Srinagar airport — allowing Indian reinforcements to be airlifted in.
- First PVC ever: Major Somnath Sharma — 1947 Kashmir War (posthumous)
- Only Air Force PVC: Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon — 1971 War (posthumous); engaged 6 Pakistani Sabres in his Folland Gnat over Srinagar
- Only PVC outside India: Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria — Congo UN Mission 1961 (posthumous)
- Youngest PVC recipient: Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav — Kargil 1999 (alive, age 19)
- Only Siachen PVC: Nb Subedar Bana Singh — 1987 (living); captured Pakistani post “Quaid” at 6,000 m altitude
On 18 November 1962, Major Shaitan Singh and 120 soldiers of C Company, 13 Kumaon held Rezang La Pass (5,000 m, Ladakh) against an overwhelming Chinese force in −40°C temperatures. They fought with no air cover, no artillery, and no reinforcements. Of 120 soldiers, 114 were killed and most remaining were captured. They never retreated. The Chinese reportedly said “these soldiers were like tigers.” The PVC was awarded to Major Shaitan Singh; the entire unit received the Battle Honour “Rezang La.” The Rezang La Memorial stands at the site today.
- Unit: 13 JAK RIF (Jammu and Kashmir Rifles); Call sign: “Sher Shah” (Lion King)
- Captured Point 5140 (20 June 1999) and Point 4875 (with his troops)
- Battle cry: “Yeh Dil Maange More” (borrowed from a Pepsi ad) — became the slogan of the Kargil War
- Died on 7 July 1999 while pulling a wounded officer to safety on Point 4875
- Posthumously awarded the PVC; story told in Bollywood film “Shershaah” (2021)
- Twin brother Vishal Batra is alive
“Batra Yadav Kumar” (+ Pandey)
B = Captain Vikram Batra (posthumous, “Yeh Dil Maange More”) | Y = Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav (alive, youngest PVC, age 19) | K = Rifleman Sanjay Kumar (alive) | P = Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey (posthumous, Batalik)
“Somnath First, Sekhon Air, Salaria Congo”
Somnath = First PVC ever (1947, posthumous, mother-in-law designed medal) | Sekhon = Only Air Force PVC (1971, Gnat vs 6 Sabres, Srinagar) | Salaria = Only PVC outside India (Congo UN mission 1961)
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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Major Somnath Sharma of the 4 Kumaon Regiment was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, awarded posthumously for his actions on 3 November 1947 at Badgam near Srinagar during the Kashmir War. He held the airfield against overwhelming Pakistani tribal forces and was killed in action. Poignantly, the designer of the PVC medal — Savitri Khanolkar — was his mother-in-law.
Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon (No. 18 Squadron, Indian Air Force) is the only Air Force officer to have ever received the Param Vir Chakra. He was awarded it posthumously for his actions on 14 December 1971 during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, when he singlehandedly engaged six Pakistani Sabre jets attacking Srinagar airfield in his Folland Gnat aircraft, shooting down two before being shot down himself. The youngest PVC was Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav (Kargil, 19 years).
Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria (3 Gorkha Rifles) is the only Param Vir Chakra recipient who earned the award for action outside India. He was awarded the PVC posthumously for exceptional bravery during the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC) on 5 December 1961 in Elizabethville (now Lubumbashi), where he single-handedly charged and destroyed an enemy roadblock before being fatally wounded. No Navy officer has received the PVC; the highest-altitude PVC was Bana Singh’s Siachen action.
Nb Subedar Bana Singh of 8 JAK LI (Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry) received the Param Vir Chakra for his action on 23 June 1987 on the Siachen Glacier. He led a team that scaled a near-vertical ice wall at over 6,000 metres altitude to capture the Pakistani post “Quaid” — which had been held by Pakistan for two years. He is one of the living PVC recipients and the only one awarded for action on the Siachen Glacier.
A total of 21 Param Vir Chakras have been awarded since the medal was instituted on 26 January 1950. Of these, 14 were awarded posthumously (to soldiers who died in action) and 7 were awarded to living recipients. The wars with the most PVC recipients are the 1947 Kashmir War and the 1971 Indo-Pak War with 6 recipients each. The Kargil War (1999) produced 4 PVC recipients.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India’s highest wartime gallantry award, instituted on 26 January 1950. The name means “Wheel of the Brave” — Param (highest), Vir (brave), Chakra (wheel/circle). It is awarded for the most conspicuous bravery or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. The medal was designed by Savitri Khanolkar (born Eva Yuanne Maday de Maros), a Swiss-born woman who had married an Indian Army officer and deeply immersed herself in Hindu culture. The medal features Indra’s Vajra (thunderbolt weapon) on its face. In a remarkable coincidence, her son-in-law, Major Somnath Sharma, became the first recipient of the very medal she designed — awarded posthumously.
The Kashmir War of 1947 and the 1971 Indo-Pak War each produced 6 PVC recipients — the most of any conflict. The Kashmir War recipients include Major Somnath Sharma (the first ever PVC), Rama Raghoba Rane, Karam Singh, Jadunath Singh, Piru Singh Shekhawat, and Ramrao Rawatpure. The 1971 War recipients include Arun Khetarpal, Albert Ekka, Hoshiyar Singh, and Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon (the only Air Force PVC). The Sino-Indian War of 1962 produced 3 PVCs. The Kargil War of 1999 produced 4 PVCs. The 1965 War produced 2 PVCs. The year 1987 produced 2 PVCs — Bana Singh (Siachen) and Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran (Sri Lanka IPKF, the only PVC from those operations).
Captain Vikram Batra of 13 JAK RIF was the most celebrated soldier of the 1999 Kargil War. His call sign was “Sher Shah” (Lion King). He led the capture of Point 5140 on 20 June 1999 and then assaulted Point 4875. On 7 July 1999, he moved forward to rescue a critically wounded officer under heavy enemy fire and was hit while dragging his colleague to safety. His battle cry “Yeh Dil Maange More” (This heart wants more — borrowed from a Pepsi advertisement) became the slogan of the Kargil War. He was awarded the PVC posthumously. His story was dramatised in the 2021 Bollywood film “Shershaah” starring Sidharth Malhotra. His twin brother Vishal Batra is alive.
The PVC is tested in UPSC Prelims (Defence, Current Affairs), SSC CGL, NDA, CDS, CAPF, and all state-level defence examinations. Key tested facts include: the total count (21 PVCs, 14 posthumous); the first recipient (Major Somnath Sharma, 1947); the only Air Force PVC (Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, 1971); the only PVC for action outside India (Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, Congo 1961); the youngest PVC recipient (Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, Kargil 1999, aged 19); the Kargil War quartet (Batra, Yadav, Sanjay Kumar, Pandey); the Battle of Rezang La (1962, Major Shaitan Singh); and the designer-recipient connection (Savitri Khanolkar designed the medal; her son-in-law Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient). Questions about PVC recipients are especially common in NDA, CDS, and State PSC defence exams.
