SHAURYA CHAKRA

SHAURYA CHAKRA

Subject: Current Events

Context: The National Investigation Agency Wednesday took over the probe into the killing of Shaurya Chakra recipient Balwinder Singh Sandhu in Punjab.

Concept:

• The Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy.
• It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, sometimes posthumously.
• It is third in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards and comes after the Ashoka Chakra and the Kirti Chakra. It precedes the Sena Medal.
• Order of precedence of these awards is the ParamVir Chakra, the Ashoka Chakra, the Mahavir Chakra, the Kirti Chakra, the Vir Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra.
• It is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra. It is generally awarded for Counter-Insurgency operations and actions against the enemy during peace-time.

Following categories of persons are eligible for the Shaurya Chakra:

• Officers and 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.
• Nursing officers of military nursing service .
• Civilian citizens of either sex in all walks of life and members of Police Forces including Central Para-Military Forces and Railway Protection Force.