VAYU SENA MEDAL

Design of the Medal and Ribbon

Instituted on 26 Jan 1960 to recognise exceptional devotion to duty or acts of courage by Air Force personnel. In 1994, the award was spilt into VM (Devotion to duty) and VM (Gallantry).

Medal: The medal is five-pointed star, made of standard silver 35 mm in diameter. The mounting is fixed on a ring attached to a metal strip 3 mm wide ornamented with Ashoka leaves. The State Emblem is embossed on obverse, in the centre, encircled by a garland of leaves. On its reverse, it has representation of Himalayan Eagle with the inscription below it.

Ribbon: 32 mm in width in alternate stripes of saffron and silver grey, each 3 mm in width running diagonally from right to left.

Bar: The Bar to the Medal (when awarded) is attached to the ribbon by which the Medal is suspended. On those occasions when only the ribbon is worn, a suitable miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government is to be tied to the center of the ribbon.

Personnel Eligible: The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the award of the Medal:-

• Officers and airmen of the Regular Air Force and officers and airmen of Auxiliary Air Force, Air Defence Reserve and Regular Reserve when called upon under Section 25 of the Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force Act, 1952.
• Army officers serving as pilots in Aviation Corp. will also be eligible for the award of this Medal.

Conditions of Eligibility: The award is given for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Air Force. VM (Gallantry) is awarded in recognition of an act of courage whereas VM (Devotion to duty) is awarded in recognition of individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty. A bar shall be given for every subsequent award of the Medal to a person. Award may be made posthumously.

Monetary Allowance: Rs. 500/- to p.m. attached when awarded for courageous acts with effect from 01.02.1999.