Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military Award in India after the Param Vir Chakra and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. The Maha Vir Chakra was instituted on 26th January 1950 to recognise the act of gallantry in the presence of the enemy. The decoration may be awarded posthumously. Rs. 10,000/- per month and each bar to the decoration will carry the same amount of monetary allowance as admissible to the original award with effect from August 1, 2017.

Medal of Maha Vir Chakra
Maha Vir Chakra is a medal made up of standard silver and is circular in shape. The Medal is embossed on the obverse a five pointed heraldic star with the points of the star just touching the rim. Medal shall be one and three eighth inches in diameter. The State emblem is embossed in the centre-piece. The star is polished and the centre piece is in gold gilt. On the reverse it will have embossed "Maha Vir Chakra" both in Devanagari and English with two lotus flowers between Devanagari and English. The decoration is worn on the left chest with a half-white and half-orange ribbon about 3.2 cm in width, the orange being near the left shoulder.

Personnel Eligibility for Maha Vir Chakra
The following categories of personnel shall be eligible for the Maha Vir Chakra:

1. All the men and women and the officers, all the ranks of Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force , of any reserved Force, territorial army, militia and any other lawfully constructed Indian Armed Force shall be eligible for the honour.

2. Matrons, Sisters, Nurses and the staff of the Nursing Services and other Services pertaining to Hospitals and Nursing and Civilians of either sex serving regularly or temporarily under the orders, directions or supervision of any of the above-mentioned Forces.

Awardees of Maha Vir Chakra
Till 2017, around 218 personnel have been awarded with this medal. The most number of Maha Vir Chakra awarded in a single conflict was in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, when eleven awards were given to the Indian Air Force alone. After 1971, Maha Vir Chakra has been awarded to 6 more military personals. Till date Wing Commander Jag Mohan Nath (1962 and 1 September 1965), Major general Rajinder Singh (19th March 1948 to September 1965), General Arun Shridhar Vaidya (16th September and 5th December 1971), Wing Commander Padmanabhan Gautam (6th September to 5December 1971, posthumous), Colonel Chewang Rinchen (July 1948 to December 1971) and Brigadier Sant Singh (2nd November 1965 and January 1972) has been honoured with Maha Vir Chakra and no second bar has been awarded.