Why in News
President Droupadi Murmu conferred 51 gallantry awards at the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 (Phase-1) at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The awards included 7 Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras and 29 Shaurya Chakras, several of them posthumous, recognising acts of valour by the armed forces. The ceremony is a high-yield occasion for revising India’s gallantry-award hierarchy, a perennial UPSC topic.
The Awards Conferred
| Award | Number |
|---|---|
| Kirti Chakra | 7 |
| Vir Chakra | 15 |
| Shaurya Chakra | 29 |
| Total | 51 |
The awards honour gallantry in operations, including counter-insurgency and border actions, with several conferred posthumously on soldiers who died in the line of duty.
India’s Gallantry Award Hierarchy
This is the part to memorise. India’s gallantry awards fall into two streams, wartime and peacetime, each in three tiers.
Wartime Gallantry Awards (for valour in the face of the enemy)
| Rank | Award |
|---|---|
| 1st (highest) | Param Vir Chakra (PVC) |
| 2nd | Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) |
| 3rd | Vir Chakra (VrC) |
Peacetime Gallantry Awards (for valour away from the battlefield)
| Rank | Award |
|---|---|
| 1st (highest) | Ashoka Chakra |
| 2nd | Kirti Chakra |
| 3rd | Shaurya Chakra |
So the Kirti Chakra is the second-highest peacetime gallantry award and the Shaurya Chakra the third; the Vir Chakra is the third-highest wartime award. These awards were instituted in 1952 (with effect from 1950).
Why It Matters
Gallantry awards:
- Recognise valour and sustain the morale and ethos of the armed forces.
- Honour sacrifice, including posthumous recognition of those killed in action.
- Connect to civil-military relations, as the President, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, confers them.
For UPSC, the precise ordering of the wartime and peacetime hierarchies is a frequently tested fact.
UPSC Relevance
Prelims
- President Murmu conferred 51 gallantry awards (7 Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras, 29 Shaurya Chakras) at the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026
- Wartime hierarchy: Param Vir Chakra > Maha Vir Chakra > Vir Chakra
- Peacetime hierarchy: Ashoka Chakra > Kirti Chakra > Shaurya Chakra
- Kirti Chakra = 2nd-highest peacetime award; Shaurya Chakra = 3rd
- Gallantry awards instituted in 1952 (effective from 1950)
- The President is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
Mains Angles
- GS3 Security: Discuss the role of gallantry awards in recognising valour and sustaining the morale of the armed forces.
- GS2 Constitutional Functionaries: Examine the President’s role as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Facts Corner
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ceremony | Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 (Phase-1) |
| Conferred by | President Droupadi Murmu |
| Total awards | 51 (7 Kirti Chakras, 15 Vir Chakras, 29 Shaurya Chakras) |
| Highest wartime award | Param Vir Chakra |
| Highest peacetime award | Ashoka Chakra |
| Kirti Chakra | 2nd-highest peacetime gallantry award |
| Shaurya Chakra | 3rd-highest peacetime gallantry award |
| Vir Chakra | 3rd-highest wartime gallantry award |
| Instituted | 1952 (effective 1950) |
Sources: PIB, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Ministry of Defence
Source: President Confers 51 Gallantry Awards at the Defence Investiture Ceremony — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
