Sainya Seva Medal

Videsh Seva Medal 40 Additionally~ those who die, are wounded, or suffer disabil- ities during their service abroad are awarded the Videsh Seva Medal regardless of period of service. Likewise, those who are awarded a gallantry decoration for their overseas service are automatically awarded the Medal. Those serving on the staff of diplomatic missions are ineligible for the medal. The Videsh Seva Medal is of cupro-nickel, 35 mm in dia- meter, and bears "a warship of ancient times" On the obverse. The reverse has a "swellin~ ocean" and~ above that~ the name of the medal in Hindi: "~’~K~’J~". The ribbon is of cobalt blue, equally divide~ by "five ~hin white stripes. The clasps awarded to date are:

"Egypt. " a) On U.N. Emergency Forcer 2 November 1956, or thereafter. b) On loan to the Government of Egypt/UAR 21 No- vember 1956, or~thereafter. "Ethiopia." On the staff of the Halle Selassie II Military Academy; from 3 May 1957, or thereafter. "Ghana." On loan to the Government of Ghana; from 23 March 1959, or thereafter. "Ind0 China." On the staff of the International Commission for Supervision and Control in Viet-Nam~ Laos~ and Cambodia;.from 7 August 1954, or thereafter. "Indonesia." On laon to the Indonesian Government; from 21 November 1955, or thereafter. "Iraq." On loan to the Iraqui Government; from 10 November 1959, or thereafter. ’~orea." On the staff of the Neutral Nations Repa- triation Commission and the Indian Custodian Force; 22 November 1950 - 17 March 1954. 8) "Lebanon." On the staff of the UN Observer Group; 19 June 1958 - 12 December 1958. 9) "Nepal." a) On the effective strength of a unit or formation used in the construction of the Tribhuvan RaJpath and airfields in Nepal; 15 April 1952 - 15 April 1958. ~ b) On the prgvision of signal communications during the Nepalese elections; 26 November 1958 - 3 May 19~9. c) On the effective strength of the Indian Military Training Mission or the Military Training Advi- sory Group; I August 1952, or thereafter.

41 d~ On survey or transport/support roles over Nepal. Six sorties or 24 hours of flying if the period of assignment is a year or more; three sorties or 12 hours of flying if less than one year; I April 1952, or thereafter. INDIAN INDEPENDENCE MEDAL ~..9~7: This medal was created by King George VI in October 1949 and, for Indians, was awarded to : "All Indian nationals, male and female, on the strength of units/formations of the on 15 August ~1947, and the Ruling Princes and the State forces of States acceeding to the Dominion of by I January 1948." The medal was also awarded to sel- ected groups of Britishers. The cupro-nickel medals show on the obverse Ashoka’s Charka, surmounted by the Imperial Cro~. Around this is the inscription: "GEORGIUS:VI D:G:BRITT:0MN:REX:FID:DEF". The re- verse shows the State Emblem~ with the inscription: "INDIAN INDEPENDENCE/15TH AUGUST 1947". For military recipients, the ribbon is of three equal stripes: saffron, white, and green - the colors of the Indian National Congress (and the Indian)/ flag. The ribbon is worn with the green stripe toward the wearer’s right. For the Indian Police~ the medal is awarded on a different ribbon~ viz.: a broad central stripe of orange, bordered with narrowed stripes of blue, with broad red edges (similar to that for the Queen’s So~th Africa Medal, 1899-1902). KEY TO INDIAN TRANSCRIPTIONS:

Sena Medal -

Nao -

Vayu Sena Medal -

Sainya Seva Medal -

Videsh Seva Medal -~~’~~

Finally~ I wish to discuss the awards of the Indian Re- public of India for long servicer the various police awards, and mention briefly the various foreign awards worn by members of the Indian armed forces. MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL: Authorized in 1953, this medal is awarded "on a Service- wise allotment of vacancies at the rate of one per 900 men of the authorized strength." The conditions for award, simpli- fied somewhat~ are: