Kirti Chakra

This article is about the Indian Gallantry award. For the 2006 Malayalam film, see Keerthi Chakra (film).

Kirti Chakra
File:Kirti Chakra.jpg Kirti Chakra and its ribbon, the second highest peacetime decoration of India
Awarded by Republic of India
Country	Republic of India
Type	Medal
Eligibility	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 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.
Awarded for	Awarded for conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy.
Status	Currently Awarded
Post-nominals	KC
Statistics
Established	1952
First awarded	1952
Last awarded	2014
Precedence
Next (higher)	Maha Vir Chakra
Next (lower)	Padma Shri

The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration 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. It is second in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards; it comes after Ashoka Chakra and before Shaurya Chakra. 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. Awards: 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."

Design

Sanjib_Medal : Circular in shape and is made of standard silver, one and three eight inches in diameter. On the obverse of the medal shall be embossed a replica of Ashoka Chakra in the centre, surrounded by a lotus wreath. On its reverse shall be embossed the words KIRTI CHAKRA both in Hindi and in English the versions being separated by two lotus flowers.

Reverse : 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

Number	Rank	Name	Regiment	Date	Notes
	BSF Officer	Narindra Nath Dhar Dubey		2012
IC-61562	Captain	VISHAL BHANDRAL	GARH RIF, 14 RR	2007	Posthumous
	Havaldar	PREMNATH RAI	EME, 833 ARMD WKSP, 618 EME BN	1989	Posthumous
IC-54327	Major	MANISH HIRAJI PITAMBARE	3 PARA (SF)(Indian Army)	2007	Posthumous
IC-47050	COL	GURBIR SINGH SARNA	GDRS, 29 RR (Indian Army)	2007	Posthumous
00172-R	SR CD GUNNER	N KELMAN	Indian Navy	1962
67103	ORD S/M	BACHAN SINGH	Indian Navy	1962
66901	ORD S/M	VPS TOMAR	Indian Navy	1962	Brig. Ransher Singh Ranawat (Kankarwa, Mewar), 9th Brigade of the Guards, 1971 Indo-Pak war
49416	PO TAS I	GUR IQBAL SINGH (P)	Indian Navy	1974
04988-K	LT CDR	ABHILASH TOMY	Indian Navy	2013
	SP	Vinod Kumar Choubey	Indian Police Service	2009	Posthumous
	IPS	Ajit Doval	Indian Police Service	1988
	Inspector	Lohit Sonowal	Assam Police Commando Battalion	2013	Posthumous
Lieutenant	Parthiban Natarajan	5 Jak LI	2006	Posthumous
IC-67270F	Major	Anup Joseph Manjali	Bihar Regiment/24th Battalion, The Rashtriya Rifles	2012
IC-65454F	Major	Mahesh Kumar	(SM, PUNJAB, 22 RR )Indian Army	2013

List Kirti Chakra Awardee in the Indian Airforce

Trivia

Only one Soldier has been awarded both the Kirti Chakra and the Ashok Chakra, making him the most decorated soldier (for bravery) in India; Col N. J. Nair, 16 MLI.

Outline:

• Ashoka Chakra, Class II (1952–67)
• Kirti Chakra (1967--)

External links

• Kirti Chakra at Indian Army website
• Kirtichakra Medal
• Bharat Rakshak Article on Kirti Chakra