Question

Who of the following was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, gallantry award?
(A) Lance Naik Albert Ekka
(B) Havildar Abdul Hamid
(C) Major Shaitan Singh
(D) Major Somnath Sharma

Answer 1

Hint: The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime and is India’s highest military decoration. The award is granted for "most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy" and translates as the "Greatest of the Ultimate Brave”.

Complete answer:
Major Somnath Sharma is the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra. The medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts and 14 were posthumous as of January 2018. Of the 21 awardees, one has been from the Indian Air force and 20 have been from the Indian army. A number of states and central governments and ministries of India provide rewards and allowances to recipients of the Param Vir Chakra (and in case of the recipient's death, their family members). This award has been received to only 21 military personnel to date.
The present-day Indian gallantry award’s history can be traced back to the rule of the East India Company. During the rule of the East India Company, in 1834 the first formal award was instituted by Lord William Bentick as the Order of Merit, later in 1902 renamed as the Indian Order of Merit. The British awards system was adopted during the First World War and continued throughout the Second World War. On 26th January 1950, post-independence, new awards were instituted with retroactive effect from 15th August 1947. The Param Vir Chakra is equivalent to the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom and the Medal of Honor in the United States of America.

Thus, option (D) is correct.

Note: Savitri Khanolkar designed the medal of the Param Vir Chakra, whose daughter's brother-in-law, Major Somnath Sharma, was coincidentally awarded the first recipient of Param Vir Chakra.