Param Vishisht Seva Medal

Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Param-vishisht-seva-medal
TypeMilitary award
Awarded forPeace-time service of the most exceptional order
Country India
Presented byGovernment of India
Ribbon
Established26 January 1960
(as "Vishisht Seva Medal Class I", renamed 27 January 1967)
First awarded1961
Precedence
Next (higher) Padma Bhushan[1]
Equivalent Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal[1]
Next (lower) Maha Vir Chakra[1]
← Vishisht Seva Medal, Class I[2]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) (IAST: Parama Viśiṣṭa Sēvā, lit. 'supreme distinguished service medal') is a military award of India. It is the highest peacetime medal of the Indian Armed Forces,[3] and is awarded for "distinguished service of the most exceptional order."[4] The medal is awarded for "distinguished service rendered by personnel of the Armed Forces."[4][5] All ranks of the Armed Forces, including Territorial Army, Auxiliary and Reserve forces, Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing services and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces are eligible for the medal,[6] which may be awarded multiple times as well as posthumously.[7]

History

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The Param Vishisht Seva Medal was originally instituted as the "Vishisht Seva Medal, Class I" on 26 January 1960.[4] Five other medals were instituted on the same day: the Sainya Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Nau Sena Medal and the Vayu Sena Medal.[8] It was renamed on January 27, 1967,[7] and the badge signed. Until 26 January 1980, when the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM) was instituted, it was also awarded for distinguished war service.

Design

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The medal is round in shape, made of gold gilt, and is 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fitting.[9] On its obverse is embossed a five-pointed star and on its reverse is the Indian state emblem and the inscription embossed along the upper rim.[9] The golden riband is 32 mm in diameter with one dark blue stripe down the centre dividing it into two equal parts.[9][7] On 27 January 1967, a miniature of the medal was authorised for certain occasions.[7]

Medal bar

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If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognized by a bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended. For every such bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government of India shall be added to the riband when worn alone.[7] The following individuals have received multiple awards of the PVSM:

No. Rank Name Branch First Award Second Award
1 Rear Admiral Bansh Raj Singh  Indian Navy 26 January 1970 20 January 1972

Lists of recipients

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Precedence Of Medals". indianarmy.nic.in. Indian Army. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Service Awards - Bharat Rakshak:Indian Air Force".
  3. ^ "Part I-Section 1: Order of Precedence of wearing of various medals and decorations" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 8 February 2020. p. 219–220.
  4. ^ a b c "Part I-Section 1 (Extraordinary)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 26 January 1960. p. 33.
  5. ^ "Vishist Seva Medal & Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal". bharat-rakshak.com.
  6. ^ "Param Vishisht Seva Medal | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Part I-Section 1: PARAM VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 22 April 1967. p. 470–471.
  8. ^ "DESIGNS OF NEW SERVICE MEDAL AND THEIR DESIGNS" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 29 July 1960. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Part I-Section 1: THE "VISHISHT SEVA MEDAL"/"DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL"" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 2 July 1960. p. 138.
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