Military Digest: History of distinguished service awards and the controversy that comes in their wake

In 1967, the Vishisht Seva Medal Class I was renamed the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), portion the different 2 categories of the medal were renamed the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), respectively.

As per the warrant of precedence for wearing medals, a notification issued successful 2020 placed the PVSM higher than gallantry awards similar the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), Vir Chakra (VrC), Kirti Chakra (KC) and Shaurya Chakra (SC).

In 1980, 3 caller medals for distinguished work were instituted: the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) and Yudh Seva Medal (YSM). These were to beryllium awarded for distinguished work successful times of war, struggle oregon hostilities. The SYSM ranks higher than the PVSM successful presumption of bid of precedence, frankincense besides surpassing gallantry awards similar the MVC, VrC, KC and SC.

Not surprisingly, Lt Gen Brij Mohan Kaul was the archetypal recipient of the PVSM connected January 26, 1961. Known to beryllium precise adjacent to past premier curate Jawaharlal Nehru, Lt Gen Kaul aboriginal faced ignominy successful the 1962 warfare debacle with China. Rear Admiral (later Honourary Vice Admiral) Daya Shankar was besides awarded the PVSM that aforesaid year.

While the gallantry awards are mostly perceived arsenic just (some suspicions arose with the Siachen fake killings and Ketchup Colonel scams, but those issues person since been resolved), the distinguished work awards are marked by their predictable nature.

There was a clip erstwhile the grant of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) was done with immoderate grade of selectivity. However, this is nary longer the case. This inclination has evolved implicit the past 3 decades, with Army commanders and heads of services seemingly having a close to PVSMs. Rarely does 1 find an Army commandant oregon a caput of an arm/service who retires without the quintessential PVSM.

Colonel Narendra ‘Bull’ Kumar, the legendary mountaineer, is 1 objection to the grant of the PVSM astatine the fertile of colonel, and the grant was undoubtedly good deserved. Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, who is simply a subedar large successful the Army, has besides been awarded the PVSM and VSM for excelling successful sports. Junior commissioned officers person besides received AVSMs for excelling successful planetary sports activities, marking exceptions to the rule.

It has often been reasoned that it is rather evident that the awardees person had distinguished service, which is wherefore they person achieved precocious appointments successful the archetypal place. However, critics contend that simply holding that assignment and completing the tenure should not beryllium capable grounds for receiving these medals. They asseverate that awardees indispensable amusement what bonzer achievements they person had to merit specified decorations, oregon the awarding authorization indispensable supply justification for the awards astatine this signifier of their careers.

The aforesaid statement applies to the AVSMs, which person besides go the exclusive sphere of emblem ranks specified arsenic large wide and lieutenant general, with an occasional brigadier included successful the list.

Every year, galore wrong the defence services anticipation for greater transparency successful the process of awarding distinguished work medals.