List of Victoria Cross recipients of the Indian Army

thumb|upright|right|The [[Victoria Cross|alt=A medal in the shape of a cross hanging from a crimson red ribbon.]]

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

{| class="wikitable sortable"

!Name!!Unit!!Date of action!!Conflict!!Place of action

|||Bengal Ecclesiastical Department||align="center"|1879||Second Anglo-Afghan War||Killa Kazi, Afghanistan

|||Corps of Guides||align="center"|1897||Tirah Campaign||Nawa Kili, India

|||0044th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Amethi, India

|||01313th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||Indian Armoured Corps||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War||Pin Hmi Road Bridge, Burma

|||Indian Medical Service||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1919*||Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)||Waziristan, India

|||Bengal Police Battalion||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Suhejnee, Bengal

|||Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners||align="center"|1941||Second World War||Metemma, Abyssinia

|||0022nd Bombay Light Cavalry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Neemuch, India

|||Indian Staff Corps||align="center"|1891||Hunza-Naga Campaign||Nilt Fort, India

|||0011st European Bengal Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Narnoul, India

|||04646th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Seerporah, India

|||05959th Scinde Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1914*||First World War||Givenchy, France

|||Commissariat Department||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||0011st European Bengal Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||0022nd European Bengal Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||05656th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Fort Ruhya, India

|||Poona Mounted Infantry||align="center"|1903||Fourth Somaliland Expedition||Jidballi, Somaliland

|||Bengal Staff Corps||align="center"|1875||Perak War||Perak, Malaya

|||02828th Bombay Native Infantry||align="center"|1880||Second Anglo-Afghan War||Kandahar, Afghanistan

|||Indian Naval BrigadeIndian Naval Brigade||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Peroo, Bengal

|||01919th Madras Native Infantry||align="center"|1859||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Chichumbah, India

|||King's African Rifles||align="center"|1902||Third Somaliland Expedition||Erigo, Somaliland

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Jhelum, India

|||Bengal Staff Corps||align="center"|1878||Second Anglo-Afghan War||Peiwar Kotal, Afghanistan

|||02222nd Punjab Infantry||align="center"|1897||Tirah Campaign||Malakand, India

|||Bombay Staff Corps||align="center"|1879||Second Anglo-Afghan War||Kam Dakka, Afghanistan

|||Bombay Medical Service||align="center"|1889||Third Burmese War||Lwekaw, Burma

|||01313th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Chinhut, India

|||01212th Frontier Force Regiment||align="center"|1942||Second World War||Kuantan, Malaya

|||05555th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)||align="center"|1915||First World War||Wieltje, Belgium

|||01111th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Chota Behar, India

|||03434th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1914*||First World War||Festubert, France

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bolandshahr, India

|||01010th Baluch Regiment||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1945*||Second World War||Meiktila, Burma

|||0011st Madras European Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||Bengal Engineers||align="center"|1865||Bhutan War||Dewan-Giri, India

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Bolandshahr, India

|||India Medical Establishment||align="center"|1860||Third China War||Taku Forts, China

|||Bengal Veterans Establishment||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||0044th Bengal European Regiment||align="center"|1863||Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)||North-West Frontier, India

|||0055th Mahratta Light Infantry||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War|| Upper Tiber Valley, Italy

|||0055th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1943||Second World War||Chin Hills, Burma

|||Loodiana Regiment||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Benares, India

|||Bombay Engineers||align="center"|1859||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Kathiawar, India

|||0011st Bengal European Light Cavalry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Alumbagh, India

|||0055th Bengal European Cavalry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Khurkowdah, India

|||Indian Staff Corps||align="center"|1891||Manipur Expedition||Thobal, Burma

|||0088th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1904||British expedition to Tibet||Gyantse Jong, Tibet

|||0022nd Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1945||Second World War||Snowdon East, Tamandu, Burma

|||0088th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1945||Second World War||Taungdaw, Burma

|||0055th Gurkha Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War||Monte San Bartolo, Italy

|||01313th Frontier Force Rifles||align="center"|1945||Second World War||Fusignano, Italy

|||0099th Jat Infantry||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War||Imphal, India

|||Corps of Guides||align="center"|1879||Second Anglo-Afghan War||Futtehabad, Afghanistan

|||Bengal Staff Corps||align="center"|1879||Second Anglo-Afghan War||Kabul, Afghanistan

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||Bengal Engineers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||05151st Sikhs||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1915*||First World War||Tochi Valley, India

|||Bengal Engineers||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Sultanpore, India

|||0055th Mahratta Light Infantry||align="center"|1945||Second World War||Senio River, Italy

|||02626th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Baroun, India

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||01515th Punjab Regiment||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1945*||Second World War||Meiktila, Burma

|||Bengal Civil Service||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||Bombay ArtilleryBombay Artillery||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Chundairee, India

|||03939th Garhwal Rifles||align="center"|1920||Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)||Kot Kai, India

|||02424th Bombay Native Infantry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Kolapore, India

|||129129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis||align="center"|1914||First World War||Hollebeke, France

|||08989th Punjabis||align="center"|1916||First World War||Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia

|LalaLala||04141st Dogras||align="center"|1916||First World War||El Orah, Mesopotamia

|||0077th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1944||Second World War||Ningthoukhong, Burma

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||07272nd Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Calpee, India

|||Bengal Staff Corps||align="center"|1872||Looshai Expedition||Lalgnoora, India

|||Corps of Guides||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1897*||Tirah Campaign||Nawa Kili, India

|||0011st Madras European Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Mungulwar, India

|||0033rd Bombay Light Cavalry||align="center"|1857||Anglo-Persian War||Khoosh-ab, Persia

|||Bengal Civil Service||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Arrah, India

|||Indian Naval BrigadeIndian Naval Brigade||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Arrah, India

|||Indian Staff Corps||align="center"|1900||Second Boer War||Korn Spruit, South Africa

|||Bengal Civil Service||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Arrah, India

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||0011st Bengal Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||Indian Staff Corps||align="center"|1900||Third Ashanti Expedition||Obassa, Ashanti

|||01212th Frontier Force Regiment||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1935*||Second Mohmand Campaign||Mohmand, India

|||Bengal Ordnance Depot||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Futtehpore, India

|||0033rd Bombay Light Cavalry||align="center"|1857||Anglo-Persian War||Khoosh-ab, Persia

|||03939th Garhwal Rifles||align="center"|1914||First World War||Festubert, France

|||03939th Garhwal Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1915*||First World War||Neuve Chapelle, France

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||01111th Bengal Native Infantry||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1857*||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||0044th Punjab Infantry||align="center"|1863||Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)||North-West Frontier, India

|||Madras Engineers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Mundisore, India

|||0022nd Punjab Cavalry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||India

|||0066th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1944||Second World War||Mogaung, Burma

|||0055th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1944||Second World War||Bishenpur, Burma

|||01010th Baluch Regiment||align="center"|1944||Second World War||Arakan, Burma

|||0066th Rajputana Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1943*||Second World War||Djebel Garci, Tunisia

|||0088th Punjab Regiment||align="center"|1944||Second World War||Gari River, Italy

|||0066th Rajputana Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1941*||Second World War||Keren, Eritrea

|||0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1918||First World War||El Kefr, Egypt

|||Bengal Veterans Establishment||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||Bengal Staff Corps||align="center"|1879||Basuto War||Konoma, India

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Khodagunge, India

|||Bengal Army||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Kuthirga, India

|||0011st Bombay Grenadiers||align="center"|1903||Third Somaliland Expedition||Daratoleh, Somaliland

|||03737th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Benares, India

|||0011st Madras European Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||101101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers)||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||Bengal Engineers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||0066th Bengal Cavalry||align="center"|1874||First Ashanti Expedition||Abogu, Ashanti

|||Bengal Staff Corps||align="center"|1877||Balochistan Campaign||Quetta, India

|||01616th Punjab Regiment||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1945*||Second World War||Kyeyebyin, Burma

|||01414th Murray's Jat Lancers||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1918*||First World War||River Jordan, Palestine

|||0099th Bhopal Infantry||align="center"|1916||First World War||Wadi, Mesopotamia

|||01515th Punjab Regiment||align="center"|1945||Second World War||Kamye, Burma

|||02828th Light Cavalry||align="center"|1917||First World War||Épehy, France

|||02828th Punjab Regiment||align="center"|1921||Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)||Haidari Kach, India

|||01111th Sikh Regiment||align="center"|1944||Second World War||Maungdaw-Buthidaung Road, Burma

|||0088th Punjab Regiment||align="center"|1943||Second World War||Donbaik, Burma

|||01313th Frontier Force Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1945*||Second World War||Kanlan Ywathit, Burma

|||0011st Punjab Regiment||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War||Kennedy Peak, Burma

|||Royal Indian Artillery||align="center"|1944||Second World War||Kaladan Valley, Burma

|||Indian Medical Service||align="center"|1916||First World War||Orah Ruins, Mesopotamia

|||06060th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||Bengal Sappers and Miners||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||0011st Madras European Fusiliers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||Indian Staff Corps||align="center"|1891||Hunza-Naga Campaign||Nilt Fort, India

|||01515th Ludhiana Sikhs||align="center"|1915||First World War||Richebourg L'Aouve, France

|||Bengal Engineers||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Delhi, India

|||0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1915||First World War||Fauquissart, France

|||0022nd Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1943||Second World War||Rass-es-Zouai, Tunisia

|||0055th Gurkha Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War||Bishenpur, Burma

|||0099th Gurkha Rifles||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1944*||Second World War||San Marino, Italy

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||Bengal Horse ArtilleryBengal Horse Artillery||align="center"|1857||Indian of 1857||Delhi, India

|||0022nd Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Indore, India

|||Bengal Engineers||align="center"|1865||Bhutan War||Dewan-Giri, India

|||06666th Bengal Native Infantry||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Choorpoorah, India

|||0055th Punjab Cavalry||align="center"|1879||Second Anglo-Afghan War||Kabul, Afghanistan

|||0044th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1903||Third Somaliland Expedition||Daratoleh, Somaliland

|||02525th Bombay Light Infantry||align="center"|1858||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Gwalior, India

|||0011st Punjab Cavalry||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Lucknow, India

|||0099th Gurkha Rifles||align="center"|1917||First World War||Shumran, Mesopotamia

|||0077th Hariana Lancers||style="background:#e3d9ff;" align="center"|1915*||First World War||Shaiba, Mesopotamia

|||0033rd Bombay European Regiment||align="center"|1857||Indian Rebellion of 1857||Jhansi, India

|||Indian Medical Service||align="center"|1895||Chitral Expedition||Chitral Fort, India

|||02020th Bombay Native Infantry||align="center"|1856||Anglo-Persian War||Bushire, Persia

References

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;General