Gallantry awards, namely the Param Vir Chakra, Veer Chakra, and Mahavir Chakra, were instituted on january 26, 1950, to honour the unparalleled contributions of soldiers in defending the country with courage. The selection process for these awards begins with the submission of a list of deserving soldiers to the Defence Ministry, which is then scrutinized by the Central Honours and Awards Committee of the Defence Ministry.
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This committee assesses the names based on predefined standards, creating a finalized list. Once compiled, the list is forwarded to the President for approval. The official announcement is made only after receiving the President's seal of approval, typically on Republic Day. Gallantry awards are announced twice a year—firstly, on Republic Day, and secondly, on Independence Day.
The order of precedence for these awards includes Param Vir Chakra, ashok Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, kirti Chakra, Veer Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra. These high gallantry awards are conferred upon members of the armed forces, paramilitary forces, and police forces of India. The Param Vir Chakra, the highest among them, is awarded for exceptional bravery, even posthumously, to soldiers who have displayed extraordinary valor for India.
Notably, there are only three living recipients of the Param Vir Chakra in India. On the 75th Republic Day, 80 armed forces personnel, including 12 posthumously, were honored with gallantry awards.
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