Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal

The medal has been awarded to only 10 officers of the Indian Armed Forces.

• Name — Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal • Presenter — Government of India • Type — Military medal Service medal • Awarded For — Wartime distinguished service • Established — 26 January 1980 • Firstawarded — 26 January 1989 • Lastawarded — 15 August 2025 • Total Awarded — 10 • Total Recipients — 10 • Higher — Padma Bhushan • Same — Param Vishisht Seva Medal • Lower — Uttam Yudh Seva Medal • Caption2 — Ribbon

The medal was instituted on 26 January 1980 and gazetted on 26 June that year. Two other medals for distinguished service during war/conflict/hostilities were also instituted on the same day, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal and the Yudh Seva Medal.

The Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal may be awarded posthumously. It is awarded for "distinguished service of the most exceptional order during war/conflict/hostilities." It may be awarded to all ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including those of Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces when embodied, as well as Nursing Officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.

The medal is circular in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fittings. It is made of gold gilt. On its obverse is the State Emblem and the inscriptions "SARVOTTAM YUDH SEVA MEDAL" (in English). On its reverse, it has a five pointed star. Ribbon: Golden colour with one red vertical stripe in the centre dividing it into two equal parts. The riband is of gold colour with one red stripe down the centre dividing it into two equal parts. If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognized by a bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended. For every such bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government shall be added to the riband when worn alone.

• No. — Name — Branch — Conflict — Appointment at the time of award — Date of Award — References • 1 — Lieutenant General Amarjit Singh Kalkat AVSM — India — Operation Pawan — | GOC-in-C Southern Command — 26 January 1989 • 2 — Air Marshal Vinod Patney — India — Kargil War — AOC-in-C Western Air Command — 15 August 1999 • 3 — Lieutenant General Hari Mohan Khanna — India — Kargil War — GOC-in-C Northern Command — 26 January 2000 • 4 — Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma — India — Operation Sindoor — GOC-in-C Northern Command — 15 August 2025 • 5 — Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai *** — India — Operation Sindoor — Director General Military Operations — 15 August 2025 • 6 — Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh — India — Operation Sindoor — | FOC-in-C Western Naval Command — 15 August 2025 • 7 — Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari — India — Operation Sindoor — Vice Chief of the Air Staff — 15 August 2025 • 8 — Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor — India — Operation Sindoor — AOC-in-C South Western Air Command — 15 August 2025 • 9 — Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra AVSM — India — Operation Sindoor — AOC-in-C Western Air Command — 15 August 2025 • 10 — Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti AVSM — India — Operation Sindoor — Director General Air Operations — 15 August 2025