The Param Vir Chakra is an Indian military decoration given for valour in combat operations.

It is considered to be India's highest military honor. The second word is pronounced 'Veer'. The name is sometimes abbreviated as PVC. It literally means 'Cross of the Ultimate Brave' (Sanskrit: Param, Ultimate; Vir (Pronounced veer), Brave; Chakra, Wheel or Cross) Paramvir Chakra The medal is made of bronze. The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is the highest gallantry award for officers and other enlisted personnel of all military branches of India for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. It may be awarded posthumously and, indeed, most of the awards have been posthumous. Provision was made for the award of a bar for second (or subsequent) awards of the Param Vir Chakra. To date, there have been no such awards. Award of the decoration carries with it the right to use P.V.C. as a postnominal abbreviation. The award also carries a cash allowance for those under the rank of second lieutenant (or the appropriate service equivalent) and, in some cases, a lumpsum cash award. On the death of the recipient, the pension was transferred to the widow until her death or remarriage. This pension has been a rather controversial issue throughout the life of the decoration. By March 1999, the stipend stood at Rs. 1500 per month. In addition, many states have established individual pension rewards for the recipients of the decoration. The PVC was established on January 26, 1950, by the President of India, with effect from August 15, 1947, and presently it is the second highest award of the government of India after Bharat Ratna (amendment in the statute on January 26, 1980 resulted in this order of wearing). The medal was designed by Mrs Savitri Khanolankar (born Eva Yuonne Linda Maday-de-Maros to a Hungarian father and Russian mother) who was married to an Indian Army officer. By sheer coincidence, the first PVC was awarded to her son-in-law Major Som Nath Sharma for his bravery in the Kashmir operations in November 1947. He died while evicting Pakistani raiders from Srinagar Airport. This was when India and newly-formed

Pakistan had the first war over the Kashmir issue. 1-3/8 inch, circular bronze medal. In the center, on a raised circle, the state emblem. Surrounding this, four replicas of Indra's Vajra (the all-powerful mythic weapon on the ancient Vedic god of war). The decoration is suspended from a straight swiveling suspension bar. It is named on the edge. On the rear, around a plain center, two legends separated by lotus flowers. The words Param Vir Chakra are written in Hindi and English. The decoration is suspended from a straight swiveling suspension bar. The ribbon which holds the PVC is of 32 mm length and purple in colour. The award carries a cash allowance for those under the rank of second lieutenant (or the appropriate service equivalent) and, in some cases, a lumpsum cash award. Subedar Major Bana Singh of the 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry was the only serving personnel of the Indian defence establishment with a PVC till the Kargil operations. The medal was designed to symbolise Rishi Dadich who donated his thigh bones to gods for making Vajra and Shiva