IAF :: DATABASE :: AWARDS

Indian Air Force Gallantry & Service Awards Database

The Awards Database presented here was made possible by the kind generosity of Air Marshal Bharat Kumar, author of Courage & Devotion to Duty : A Chronicle of IAF’s Honours and Awards (1932-2008). The book contains records of all awards earned by the Air Force from its inception in 1932 to 2008, including the five years during which it was RIAF. It is a labour of love by the Author and the an unsurpassable effort of compilation. Air Marshal Bharat Kumar had very graciously given permission to reproduce the citations from the book on this website. Thus it has been possible to present all citations until 2008 here. An effort is being made to compile the post-2008 citations as well.

Search for an Awardee by Name, Number or Unit
Service Number Name : Unit:
Currently there are about 4730+ Recipient names of all the awards that were made from the year 1939. You will be able to search by Name of Recipient or Year of announcement or by Unit served when the Award was announced.
View Yearly Awards Tally Chart
Numbers Awarded
Param Vir Chakra 1
Ashok Chakra 3
Padma Vibhushan 4
Padma Bhushan 5
Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal 1
Param Vishist Seva Medal 289
Maha Vir Chakra 21
Uttam Yudh Seva Medal 4
Kirti Chakra 36
Padma Sree 1
Ati Vishist Seva Medal 666
Vir Chakra 205
Shaurya Chakra 174
Yudh Seva Medal 41
Sena Medal (Gallantry) 1
Vayu Sena Medal 1387
Vishist Seva Medal 1537
Mention in Despatches 623
Distinguished Service Order 3
Officer of the Order of the British Empire 2
Distinguished Flying Cross 26
Member of the Order of the British Empire 13
Air Force Cross 3
British Empire Medal 5
Mentioned in Dispatches 58
Yearly Award Lists

Browse by Year

1918, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022,

Note: All the data available here is publicly available in the Gazette of India, published by the Indian Government, or from public domain sources, press releases about Awards and Right-To-Information (RTI) Requests. Additionally data shared by veterans is added to the page with permission. No data with respect to serving officers below the rank of AVM is displayed. Information in Gazette of India and Award citations and photographs as released by the Indian Air Force are the only details displayed.