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List of Victoria Cross recipients of the Indian Army facts for kids

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The Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 153 members of the British Indian Army and civilians under its command, from 1857 until independence in 1947. The Victoria Cross is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other Orders, decorations and medals. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The VC is traditionally presented to the recipient by the British monarch during an investiture at Buckingham Palace, though in a large number of cases this was not possible and it was presented in the field by a prominent civil or military official. The VC was introduced in Great Britain on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War.

Indian troops were not originally eligible for the VC, because since 1837 they had been eligible for the Indian Order of Merit—the oldest British gallantry award for general issue. When the VC was created, Indian troops were still controlled by the British East India Company, and did not come under Crown control until 1860. European officers and men serving with the East India Company were not eligible for the Indian Order of Merit; the VC was extended to cover them in October 1857. It was only at the end of the 19th century that calls for Indian troops to be awarded the VC intensified. Indian troops became eligible for the award in 1911. The first awards to Indian troops appeared in The London Gazette on 7 December 1914 to Darwan Singh Negi and Khudadad Khan, whose gallantry on 31 October 1914 was nearly a month earlier than Negi's gallantry on 24/25 November. Negi was presented with the VC by King George V two days earlier, on 5 December 1914, during a visit to troops in France. He is one of a small number of soldiers presented with his award before it appeared in the London Gazette.

There have been a total of 148 VC recipients who were serving with an Indian Army or Honourable East India Company (HEIC) unit. 63 VCs were awarded to British officers and men of the HEIC during the Anglo-Persian War (1856–1857) and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. 33 VCs were awarded for action in various campaigns between the rebellion in 1857 and the First World War. 18 VCs were awarded for action in the First World War, and 30 in the Second World War. In addition to these, 5 civilians under military command were awarded the VC.

Recipients

      This along with the *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously.

Name Unit Date of action Conflict Place of action
Adams, JamesJames Adams Bengal Ecclesiastical Department 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Killa Kazi, Afghanistan
Adams, RobertRobert Adams Corps of Guides 1897 Tirah Campaign Nawa Kili, India
Aikman, FrederickFrederick Aikman 0044th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Amethi, India
Aitken, RobertRobert Aitken 01313th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Allmand, MichaelMichael Allmand Indian Armoured Corps 1944* Second World War Pin Hmi Road Bridge, Burma
Andrews, HenryHenry Andrews Indian Medical Service 1919* Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) Waziristan, India
Baker, CharlesCharles Baker Bengal Police Battalion 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Suhejnee, Bengal
Bhagat, PremindraPremindra Bhagat Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners 1941 Second World War Metemma, Abyssinia
Blair, JamesJames Blair 0022nd Bombay Light Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Neemuch, India
Boisragon, GuyGuy Boisragon Indian Staff Corps 1891 Hunza-Naga Campaign Nilt Fort, India
Brown, FrancisFrancis Brown 0011st European Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Narnoul, India
Browne, SamSam Browne 04646th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Seerporah, India
Bruce, WilliamWilliam Bruce 05959th Scinde Rifles 1914* First World War Givenchy, France
Buckley, JohnJohn Buckley Commissariat Department 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Butler, ThomasThomas Butler 0011st European Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Cadell, ThomasThomas Cadell 0022nd European Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Cafe, WilliamWilliam Cafe 05656th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Fort Ruhya, India
Carter, HerbertHerbert Carter Poona Mounted Infantry 1903 Fourth Somaliland Expedition Jidballi, Somaliland
Channer, GeorgeGeorge Channer Bengal Staff Corps 1875 Perak War Perak, Malaya
Chase, WilliamWilliam Chase 02828th Bombay Native Infantry 1880 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kandahar, Afghanistan
Chicken, GeorgeGeorge Chicken Indian Naval BrigadeIndian Naval Brigade 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Peroo, Bengal
Clogstoun, HerbertHerbert Clogstoun 01919th Madras Native Infantry 1859 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chichumbah, India
Cobbe, AlexanderAlexander Cobbe King's African Rifles 1902 Third Somaliland Expedition Erigo, Somaliland
Connolly, WilliamWilliam Connolly Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Jhelum, India
Cook, JohnJohn Cook Bengal Staff Corps 1878 Second Anglo-Afghan War Peiwar Kotal, Afghanistan
Costello, EdmondEdmond Costello 02222nd Punjab Infantry 1897 Tirah Campaign Malakand, India
Creagh, GarrettGarrett Creagh Bombay Staff Corps 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kam Dakka, Afghanistan
Crimmin, JohnJohn Crimmin Bombay Medical Service 1889 Third Burmese War Lwekaw, Burma
Cubitt, WilliamWilliam Cubitt 01313th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chinhut, India
Cumming, ArthurArthur Cumming 01212th Frontier Force Regiment 1942 Second World War Kuantan, Malaya
Dast, MirMir Dast 05555th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force) 1915 First World War Wieltje, Belgium
Daunt, JohnJohn Daunt 01111th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chota Behar, India
de Pass, FrankFrank de Pass 03434th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse 1914* First World War Festubert, France
Diamond, BernardBernard Diamond Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Bolandshahr, India
Din, FazalFazal Din 01010th Baluch Regiment 1945* Second World War Meiktila, Burma
Duffy, ThomasThomas Duffy 0011st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Dundas, JamesJames Dundas Bengal Engineers 1865 Bhutan War Dewan-Giri, India
Fitzgerald, RichardRichard Fitzgerald Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Bolandshahr, India
Fitzgibbon, AndrewAndrew Fitzgibbon India Medical Establishment 1860 Third China War Taku Forts, China
Forrest, GeorgeGeorge Forrest Bengal Veterans Establishment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Fosbery, GeorgeGeorge Fosbery 0044th Bengal European Regiment 1863 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) North-West Frontier, India
Ghadge, YeshwantYeshwant Ghadge 0055th Mahratta Light Infantry 1944* Second World War Upper Tiber Valley [it], Italy
Ghale, GajeGaje Ghale 0055th Gurkha Rifles 1943 Second World War Chin Hills, Burma
Gill, PeterPeter Gill Loodiana Regiment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Benares, India
Goodfellow, CharlesCharles Goodfellow Bombay Engineers 1859 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Kathiawar, India
Gough, HughHugh Gough 0011st Bengal European Light Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Alumbagh, India
Gough, CharlesCharles Gough 0055th Bengal European Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Khurkowdah, India
Grant, CharlesCharles Grant Indian Staff Corps 1891 Manipur Expedition Thobal, Burma
Grant, JohnJohn Grant 0088th Gurkha Rifles 1904 British expedition to Tibet Gyantse Jong, Tibet
Gurung, BhanbhagtaBhanbhagta Gurung 0022nd Gurkha Rifles 1945 Second World War Snowdon East, Tamandu, Burma
Gurung, LachhimanLachhiman Gurung 0088th Gurkha Rifles 1945 Second World War Taungdaw, Burma
Gurung, ThamanThaman Gurung 0055th Gurkha Rifles 1944* Second World War Monte San Bartolo, Italy
Haidar, AliAli Haidar 01313th Frontier Force Rifles 1945 Second World War Fusignano, Italy
Hafiz Khan, Rao AbdulRao Abdul Hafiz Khan 0099th Jat Infantry 1944* Second World War Imphal, India
Hamilton, WalterWalter Hamilton Corps of Guides 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Futtehabad, Afghanistan
Hammond, ArthurArthur Hammond Bengal Staff Corps 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kabul, Afghanistan
Harington, HastingsHastings Harington Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Hills, JamesJames Hills Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Home, DuncanDuncan Home Bengal Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Jotham, EustaceEustace Jotham 05151st Sikhs 1915* First World War Tochi Valley, India
Innes, JamesJames Innes Bengal Engineers 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Sultanpore, India
Jadhav, NamdeoNamdeo Jadhav 0055th Mahratta Light Infantry 1945 Second World War Senio River, Italy
Jarrett, HansonHanson Jarrett 02626th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Baroun, India
Jennings, EdwardEdward Jennings Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Judge, KaramjeetKaramjeet Judge 01515th Punjab Regiment 1945* Second World War Meiktila, Burma
Kavanagh, ThomasThomas Kavanagh Bengal Civil Service 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Keatinge, RichardRichard Keatinge Bombay ArtilleryBombay Artillery 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Chundairee, India
Kenny, WilliamWilliam Kenny 03939th Garhwal Rifles 1920 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) Kot Kai, India
Kerr, WilliamWilliam Kerr 02424th Bombay Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Kolapore, India
Khan, KhudadadKhudadad Khan 129129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis 1914 First World War Hollebeke, France
Khan, ShahamadShahamad Khan 08989th Punjabis 1916 First World War Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia
LalaLala 04141st Dogras 1916 First World War El Orah, Mesopotamia
Lama, GanjuGanju Lama 0077th Gurkha Rifles 1944 Second World War Ningthoukhong, Burma
Laughnan, ThomasThomas Laughnan Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Lyster, HarryHarry Lyster 07272nd Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Calpee, India
Macintyre, DonaldDonald Macintyre Bengal Staff Corps 1872 Looshai Expedition Lalgnoora, India
MacLean, HectorHector MacLean Corps of Guides 1897* Tirah Campaign Nawa Kili, India
Mahoney, PatrickPatrick Mahoney 0011st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Mungulwar, India
Malcolmson, JohnJohn Malcolmson 0033rd Bombay Light Cavalry 1857 Anglo-Persian War Khoosh-ab, Persia
Mangles, RossRoss Mangles Bengal Civil Service 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Arrah, India
Mayo, ArthurArthur Mayo Indian Naval BrigadeIndian Naval Brigade 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Arrah, India
Maxwell, FrancisFrancis Maxwell Indian Staff Corps 1900 Second Boer War Korn Spruit, South Africa
McDonell, WilliamWilliam McDonell Bengal Civil Service 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Arrah, India
McInnes, HughHugh McInnes Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
McGovern, JohnJohn McGovern 0011st Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
McGuire, JamesJames McGuire 0011st Bengal Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Melliss, CharlesCharles Melliss Indian Staff Corps 1900 Third Ashanti Expedition Obassa, Ashanti
Meynell, GodfreyGodfrey Meynell 01212th Frontier Force Regiment 1935* Second Mohmand Campaign Mohmand, India
Miller, JamesJames Miller Bengal Ordnance Depot 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Futtehpore, India
Moore, ArthurArthur Moore 0033rd Bombay Light Cavalry 1857 Anglo-Persian War Khoosh-ab, Persia
Negi, DarwanDarwan Negi 03939th Garhwal Rifles 1914 First World War Festubert, France
Negi, GabbarGabbar Negi 03939th Garhwal Rifles 1915* First World War Neuve Chapelle, France
Olpherts, WilliamWilliam Olpherts Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Park, JamesJames Park Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Phillipps, EverardEverard Phillipps 01111th Bengal Native Infantry 1857* Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Pitcher, HenryHenry Pitcher 0044th Punjab Infantry 1863 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) North-West Frontier, India
Prendergast, HarryHarry Prendergast Madras Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Mundisore, India
Probyn, DightonDighton Probyn 0022nd Punjab Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 India
Pun, TulbahadurTulbahadur Pun 0066th Gurkha Rifles 1944 Second World War Mogaung, Burma
Rai, AgansingAgansing Rai 0055th Gurkha Rifles 1944 Second World War Bishenpur, Burma
Ram, BhandariBhandari Ram 01010th Baluch Regiment 1944 Second World War Arakan, Burma
Ram, ChheluChhelu Ram 0066th Rajputana Rifles 1943* Second World War Djebel Garci, Tunisia
Ram, KamalKamal Ram 0088th Punjab Regiment 1944 Second World War Gari River, Italy
Ram, RichhpalRichhpal Ram 0066th Rajputana Rifles 1941* Second World War Keren, Eritrea
Rana, KaranbahadurKaranbahadur Rana 0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles 1918 First World War El Kefr, Egypt
Raynor, WilliamWilliam Raynor Bengal Veterans Establishment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Renny, GeorgeGeorge Renny Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Ridgeway, RichardRichard Ridgeway Bengal Staff Corps 1879 Basuto War Konoma, India
Roberts, FrederickFrederick Roberts Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Khodagunge, India
Roddy, PatrickPatrick Roddy Bengal Army 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Kuthirga, India
Rolland, GeorgeGeorge Rolland 0011st Bombay Grenadiers 1903 Third Somaliland Expedition Daratoleh, Somaliland
Rosamund, MatthewMatthew Rosamund 03737th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Benares, India
Ryan, JohnJohn Ryan 0011st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Ryan, MilesMiles Ryan 101101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers) 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Salkeld, PhilipPhilip Salkeld Bengal Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Sartorius, ReginaldReginald Sartorius 0066th Bengal Cavalry 1874 First Ashanti Expedition Abogu, Ashanti
Scott, AndrewAndrew Scott Bengal Staff Corps 1877 Balochistan Campaign Quetta, India
Shah, SherSher Shah 01616th Punjab Regiment 1945* Second World War Kyeyebyin, Burma
Singh, BadluBadlu Singh 01414th Murray's Jat Lancers 1918* First World War River Jordan, Palestine
Singh, ChattaChatta Singh 0099th Bhopal Infantry 1916 First World War Wadi, Mesopotamia
Singh, GianGian Singh 01515th Punjab Regiment 1945 Second World War Kamye, Burma
Singh, GobindGobind Singh 02828th Light Cavalry 1917 First World War Épehy, France
Singh, IsharIshar Singh 02828th Punjab Regiment 1921 Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) Haidari Kach, India
Singh, NandNand Singh 01111th Sikh Regiment 1944 Second World War Maungdaw-Buthidaung Road, Burma
Singh, ParkashParkash Singh 0088th Punjab Regiment 1943 Second World War Donbaik, Burma
Singh, PrakashPrakash Singh 01313th Frontier Force Rifles 1945* Second World War Kanlan Ywathit, Burma
Sarup Singh, RamRam Sarup Singh 0011st Punjab Regiment 1944* Second World War Kennedy Peak, Burma
Singh, UmraoUmrao Singh Royal Indian Artillery 1944 Second World War Kaladan Valley, Burma
Sinton, JohnJohn Sinton Indian Medical Service 1916 First World War Orah Ruins, Mesopotamia
Shebbeare, RobertRobert Shebbeare 06060th Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Smith, JohnJohn Smith Bengal Sappers and Miners 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Smith, JohnJohn Smith 0011st Madras European Fusiliers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Smith, JohnJohn Smith Indian Staff Corps 1891 Hunza-Naga Campaign Nilt Fort, India
Smyth, JohnJohn Smyth 01515th Ludhiana Sikhs 1915 First World War Richebourg L'Aouve, France
Thackeray, EdwardEdward Thackeray Bengal Engineers 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Delhi, India
Thapa, KulbirKulbir Thapa 0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles 1915 First World War Fauquissart, France
Thapa, LalbahadurLalbahadur Thapa 0022nd Gurkha Rifles 1943 Second World War Rass-es-Zouai, Tunisia
Thapa, NetrabahadurNetrabahadur Thapa 0055th Gurkha Rifles 1944* Second World War Bishenpur, Burma
Thapa, Sher BahadurSher Bahadur Thapa 0099th Gurkha Rifles 1944* Second World War San Marino, Italy
Thomas, JacobJacob Thomas Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Tombs, HenryHenry Tombs Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery 1857 Indian of 1857 Delhi, India
Travers, JamesJames Travers 0022nd Bengal Native Infantry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Indore, India
Trevor, WilliamWilliam Trevor Bengal Engineers 1865 Bhutan War Dewan-Giri, India
Tytler, JohnJohn Tytler 06666th Bengal Native Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Choorpoorah, India
Vousden, WilliamWilliam Vousden 0055th Punjab Cavalry 1879 Second Anglo-Afghan War Kabul, Afghanistan
Walker, WilliamWilliam Walker 0044th Gurkha Rifles 1903 Third Somaliland Expedition Daratoleh, Somaliland
Waller, WilliamWilliam Waller 02525th Bombay Light Infantry 1858 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Gwalior, India
Watson, JohnJohn Watson 0011st Punjab Cavalry 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Lucknow, India
Wheeler, GeorgeGeorge Wheeler 0099th Gurkha Rifles 1917 First World War Shumran, Mesopotamia
Wheeler, GeorgeGeorge Wheeler 0077th Hariana Lancers 1915* First World War Shaiba, Mesopotamia
Whirlpool, FrederickFrederick Whirlpool 0033rd Bombay European Regiment 1857 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Jhansi, India
Whitchurch, HarryHarry Whitchurch Indian Medical Service 1895 Chitral Expedition Chitral Fort, India
Wood, JohnJohn Wood 02020th Bombay Native Infantry 1856 Anglo-Persian War Bushire, Persia
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