The highest military award in India is the Param Vir Chakra (PVC). It is awarded for the most conspicuous acts of valour, courage, or self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy during wartime. The Param Vir Chakra is equivalent to the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom and the Medal of Honor in the United States. It was instituted on January 26, 1950, and retroactively effective from August 15, 1947. Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient of this prestigious award.
