NEW DELHI: Medals and honours are heaped on soldiers who have served their country with blood and lives. On Republic Day, 50 highly decorated Lieutenant Generals of the Indian Army were conferred awards for ‘distinguished service’. Ironically, the majority of them are based either in Delhi or in peace posts. Seventy-five per cent of the medals have gone to them while the rest 25 per cent have been given to mid-level officers, who are involved in counter-insurgency operations and numerically the largest combat force.
A day before January 26, the Army Headquarters issued a list of awardees for their gallantry and distinguished services. However, the list of recipients of Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) and Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) is dominated by three-star generals.
This comes at a time when India is celebrating the centenary year of World War I, during which Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award, was given to Darwan Singh Negi, a Naik in the Ist Battalion of 39th Garwal Rifles.