Gallantry Awards 2025: List, Criteria, Significance & UPSC Notes

On Independence Day 2025, Gallantry Awards are awarded to 1,090 military service and police, fire service, home guard, civil defence, and correctional services members who have been recognised for outstanding bravery and distinguished careers. These consist of 233 Medals for Gallantry, which are awards of bravery in life-saving and averting crime, 99 President Medals of Distinguished Service, and 758 Medals of Meritorious Service in devotion and inventiveness. Personnel of Jammu & Kashmir received the maximum gallantry awards. These prizes applaud courage, sacrifice and commitment by the security forces in the nation on the 79th Independence Day in India.

In this comprehensive article, we delve into the world of gallantry awards, their significance, and their presence in India. Let's begin our journey into the world of valor.

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Gallantry Awards 2025

On Independence Day 2025, the Government of India approved many gallantry and service awards across various forces. Here is the detailed overview:

• 127 Gallantry and 40 Distinguished Service awards were approved for the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces.
• Gallantry awards breakdown includes:
• 4 Kirti Chakras
• 15 Vir Chakras
• 16 Shaurya Chakras
• 2 Bars to Sena Medals (Gallantry)
• 58 Sena Medals (Gallantry)
• 6 Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry)
• 26 Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry)
• The awards list includes 7 Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals, 9 Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, and 24 Yudh Seva Medals.
• 290 Mention-in-Despatches were also approved, including 115 Indian Army personnel, 5 Indian Navy, 167 Indian Air Force, and 3 from Border Roads Development Board.
• Seven top military officers will receive gallantry medals for their valour during Operation Sindoor, with four Indian Air Force officers being awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal—India's highest wartime distinguished service decoration.
• The Border Security Force awarded gallantry medals to 16 personnel for conspicuous bravery during Operation Sindoor.
• On the civil front, 1,090 personnel from Police, Fire, Home Guard & Civil Defence, and Correctional Services were awarded gallantry and service medals: 233 Medals for Gallantry (mostly police), 99 President's Medals for Distinguished Service, and 758 Medals for Meritorious Service.

• Jammu & Kashmir personnel received the highest number of gallantry medals in the civil category, with significant awards also going to those in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, North-East, and others.

These gallantry awards recognise acts of valour, courage, and distinguished service in war, peacetime, and internal security operations, showcasing the bravery and dedication of India's armed and police forces on Independence Day 2025

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List of Gallantry Award 2025 Conferred by President Murmu

Here is a table listing some of the gallantry awardees confirmed by President Droupadi Murmu in 2025 based on the Independence Day and Defence Investiture Ceremony announcements:

This list presents key gallantry awardees, including the Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra recipients from various branches like the Army, Navy, Police, and Air Force, along with wartime distinguished service medals given on Independence Day 2025.

79th Independence Day of India

The 79th Independence Day of India will fall on 15th August, 2025, and the juggernaut of Indian Independence Day will be organised by the current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in the historic Red Fort at Delhi. This year's theme is Naya Bharat, which indicates India achieving prosperity, security, and courage in a hundred years, or in other words, in 2047 when India celebrates independence. The celebration and procedure entail

The celebration highlights and procedure include:

• The Prime Minister will unfurl the National Flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort, assisted by Flying Officer Rashika Sharma.
• The flag hoisting will be synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial), using indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns.
• There will be a Guard of Honour with 96 personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Delhi Police.
• The National Flag Guard, consisting of 128 personnel from the same services, will present the Rashtriya Salute.
• The Indian Air Force band, including 11 Agniveer Vayu musicians for the first time, will play the National Anthem.
• Two Mi-17 helicopters will shower flower petals, one carrying the national flag and the other displaying a flag representing Operation Sindoor, a notable counter-terrorism operation honoured this year.
• The visual decorations and program will prominently celebrate Operation Sindoor's success.
• The Prime Minister will address the nation, followed by the singing of the National Anthem by 2,500 cadets from the National Cadet Corps and volunteers forming a large "Naya Bharat" logo on Gyanpath facing the Red Fort.
• The event will host about 5,000 special guests, including 1,500 people from India dressed in traditional attire and around 1,000 winners of government-led quizzes and competitions.
• For the first time, patriotic military band performances will be conducted nationwide across more than 140 locations on the evening of Independence Day.
• The ceremonies honour the sacrifices of freedom fighters and India's journey towards its development goals.

What are Gallantry Awards?

Gallantry awards are a way of acknowledging acts of exceptional courage, valor, and selflessness exhibited by individuals, both civilian and military personnel. These awards are presented to individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty, often risking their lives to protect others or achieve a commendable feat. They are a source of inspiration and pride for the nation, recognizing the outstanding contributions of its citizens.

Criteria

Here is a summary of the criteria for India's Gallantry Awards in 2025:

Gallantry awards are divided into two main categories:

• Gallantry in the Face of the Enemy (wartime gallantry).
• Gallantry Other than in the Face of the Enemy (peacetime gallantry).
• Wartime gallantry awards (e.g., Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra) are given for acts of conspicuous bravery or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. Eligible recipients include military personnel, reserve forces, and civilians working with the armed forces.
• Peacetime gallantry awards (e.g., Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra) are awarded for outstanding courage or valor away from enemy confrontation, including police, paramilitary forces, civilians, and nursing staff.
• Awards recognise exceptional bravery, daring acts, or distinguished service involving significant personal risk in saving lives, preventing crimes, or combat operations.
• Bars may be given for subsequent acts of bravery by the same recipient.

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Gallantry Awards in India

In the wake of India's independence, the government took a momentous step by instituting the first three gallantry awards on 26th January 1950. These awards, namely the Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, and Vir Chakra, were deemed to have effect from 15th August 1947, marking a significant historical milestone.

Expanding the Honors

The commitment to honor gallantry did not end there. In 1952, three additional gallantry awards were instituted. These were the Ashoka Chakra Class-I, the Ashoka Chakra Class-II, and the Ashoka Chakra Class-III. However, in January 1967, these awards underwent a name change, becoming the Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra, respectively. These changes aimed to emphasize their significance and national pride.

Order of Precedence

The hierarchy of gallantry awards in India follows a specific order of precedence:

• Param Vir Chakra: The highest gallantry award in India, it is a symbol of supreme sacrifice and valor.
• Ashoka Chakra: A testament to exceptional bravery and selflessness.
• Maha Vir Chakra: Recognizing acts of extraordinary gallantry.
• Kirti Chakra: The peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra, awarded for acts of valor and self-sacrifice away from the field of battle.
• Vir Chakra: Honoring acts of bravery and courage.
• Shaurya Chakra: Recognizing gallantry in peacetime, reflecting the spirit of bravery and devotion to duty.

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Gallantry Awards for Armed Forces

The gallantry award is not restricted to a certain field; they also reach out to the military forces. These awards are the means of motivation and distinction of people, who defend the national borders and interests. Some major gallantry awards to the armed forces:

• Param Vir Chakra: It is available only to military service and it is awarded to outstanding heroism in the battlefield.
• Maha Vir Chakra: The Maha Vir Chakra is like the Param Vir Chakra, unique to the armed forces. It is a decoration given on non combatant valorous acts during war.
• Vir Chakra: Vir Chakra is awarded to military personnel on acts of valor which comes under combat or non combat context.

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All Gallantry Awards

To provide a comprehensive overview, let's summarize all the gallantry awards in India:

• Param Vir Chakra: The highest gallantry award, recognizing supreme sacrifice and valor.
• Ashoka Chakra: Awarded for exceptional bravery and selflessness.
• Maha Vir Chakra: Acknowledging acts of extraordinary gallantry during wartime.
• Kirti Chakra: The peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra, awarded for acts of valor away from the battlefield.
• Vir Chakra: Honoring acts of bravery, whether in combat or non-combat situations.
• Shaurya Chakra: Recognizing gallantry in peacetime, embodying the spirit of bravery and devotion to duty.

The Announcement of Gallantry Awards

The gallantry awards are announced twice yearly in India, increasing their importance and eagerness. The first is announced during the Republic Day, and the second is during the Independence Day. These are the moments of pride when the country appreciates and acknowledges such outstanding courage and selflessness that its people can portray.

Significance

The significance of the Gallantry Awards lies in their role as the highest national honours recognising exceptional bravery, courage, and self-sacrifice by personnel of the Armed Forces, police, paramilitary, and civilians. These awards honour acts of valour in wartime and peacetime, celebrating those who put their lives at risk to protect the nation, save others, and uphold security.

They serve multiple key purposes:

• Recognise and salute extraordinary heroism and dedication under challenging and dangerous conditions.
• Inspire and motivate the armed forces and civilians alike to uphold the highest standards of courage and service.
• Acknowledge sacrifices made for the country's sovereignty, security, and integrity.
• Serve as a solemn reminder that heroes exist among us and their stories inspire future generations to be brave and selfless.
• Strengthen national pride and unity by publicly honouring those who rise above fear and adversity in service to the nation.

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