News: In 2025, President Droupadi Murmu approved the awarding of seven Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals on the eve of the 79th Independence Day. These awards recognised the leadership of Operation Sindoor.
About Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM)
- It is India’s highest wartime distinguished service award, instituted on 26 June 1980, to honor exceptional service in war, conflict, or hostilities.
- The medal is regarded as the wartime equivalent of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), which is given for distinguished service in peacetime.
- Personnel Eligible:
- It is open to all ranks of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, including members of the Territorial Army, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces, and other legally constituted Armed Forces when embodied.
- Nursing officers and personnel of the Armed Forces Nursing Services are also eligible.
- The award may be conferred posthumously.
- The Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal has been awarded only three times before 2025, which highlights its rarity and the exceptional standard required for eligibility.
