Ashoka Chakra Award: Everything you need to know about

The Ashoka Chakra is India's highest peacetime military decoration, awarded for bravery and courageous action or self-sacrifice on the battlefield. This peacetime carbon copy of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is awarded for "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valor or self-sacrifice" apart from when confronted with the enemy. The decoration can be awarded either to military or personnel that are civilian.

Naik Narbahadur Thapa, Havildar Bachittar Singh, and Flight Lieutenant Suhas Biswas were the first recipients of this Ashoka Chakra. Subsequent awards for the Ashoka Chakra are acknowledged by a bar on your ribbon that is a medal. A recipient could be awarded the Kirti Chakra or Shaurya Chakra in addition for separate acts of gallantry

Gallantry awards are announced twice a year:

• First, on the occasion of this Republic Day 

• Second on the occasion of Independence Day.

What are the categories of Gallantry Awards?

Gallantry Awards are classified into two categories-

• Gallantry within the Face of Enemy

• Gallantry aside from into the real face of Enemy

The First Category of Gallantry Awards Comprises:

• Param Vir Chakra (PVC)

• Mahavir Chakra (MVC)

• Vir Chakra

The Second group of Gallantry Awards Comprises:

• Ashok Chakra

• Kirti Chakra

• Shaurya Chakra

Meaning of Ashoka Chakra

Ashoka Chakra was instituted on 04 Jan 1952 and renamed on 27 Jan 1967 to acknowledge probably the most bravery award: the daring or pre-eminent act of Bravery or self-sacrifice. 

Medal:  It is circular, ⅓ eighth inches in diameter with rims on each side, and will also be gold-gilt.  It has been embossed with a replica of Ashoka's Chakra in the middle, enclosed by a lotus wreath. The two versions, separated by two lotus flowers on their reverse, shall emboss the words "Ashoka Chakra" both in Hindi and English.

Ribbon: is in Green color ribbon split into two equal segments by a vertical orange line.

Bar: If a recipient associated with Chakra performs such an act of gallantry could have made him or her eligible to get the Chakra, such further act of gallantry will probably be recognized by a Bar to be connected to the riband in which the Chakra is suspended a bar that is additional be added.  

Eligibility: Types of person will probably be entitled to the Ashoka Chakra:-

• Officers, Men, and Women of most ranks regarding the Army, the Navy together with Air Force, of every associated Reserve Forces, associated with the Territorial Army, and any other lawfully constituted Armed Forces.

• People in the Nursing Services associated with the Armed Forces.

• Civilians of every part of society and members of Police Forces, including Central Paramilitary Forces and Railway Protection Force.

Conditions of Eligibility: The Chakra is awarded for the majority of conspicuous bravery or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of Bravery or self-sacrifice. the Monetary Allowance of  Rs. 2800  and every bar towards the decoration will carry the same monetary allowance as admissible to your award that is an original effect from.

History of Ashoka Chakra Medal

The medal was originally established on 4 January 1952 given that "Ashoka Chakra, Class I" since the step that is the first of a three-class sequence of non-combatant bravery decorations. In 1967, these decorations were taken from the "class-based" system and renamed the Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra. It might also result in changes in the Padma Vibhushan series, the distinguished service medal, the life span saving medal, and the Defense Security Corps medal.

From 1 February 1999, the government set a monthly stipend for Ashoka Chakra recipients of Rs. 1400. Jammu and Kashmir awarded a cash award of Rs. 1500 for recipients of the award.

Selection Process

The Ministry of Defence invites recommendations twice from the Armed Forces and Union Ministry of Home Affairs for gallantry awards this year. Recommendations are invited normally in August for any awards to be announced on the occasion associated with Republic Day and in March when it comes to awards to be announced on the occasion of Independence Day.

A case for the gallantry award is initiated by the Unit, and if found fit, the same is forwarded to respective Services duly recommended by Commanders. All such proposals are then considered.

List of top 10 Ashok Chakra winners 

Recent Winners

The Order of Awards

There is Specific order of priority for carrying various medals and decorations. These are as follows:

• Bharat Ratna

• Param Vir chakra

• Ashoka chakra

• Padma Vibhushan

• Padma Bhushan

• Sarvottam yudh seva medal

• Param Vshisht Seva medal

• Maha Vir chakra

• Kirti chakra

• Padma Shri

• Sarvottam jeevan raksha padak

• Uttam yudh seva medal

• Ati vishisht seva medal

• Vir chakra

• Shaurya chakra

Conclusion

At the time of finalizing the Names, some points may be kept in view, i.e., to ensure that the man or woman advocated for the award is Bonafide and an appropriate candidate.  whole info of the gallantry act, including collection-sensible Information of the stairs taken via the character related with the act, nature of chance should be Well corroborated by using the documents like FIR or different record from the police it is to be ensured that certificates the verification is done the awards committee considers guidelines for Ashoka Chakra series of awards within calendar years from the date of the overall performance of the gallantry act.