Awarded to members of the army, of all ranks, "for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army." Awards may be made posthumously and a bar is authorized for subsequent awards of the Sena Medal.

In effect, the Sena Medal serves as a sort of general commendation medal for the Indian Army. In some cases, it is also awarded for gallantry. From 1 February 1999, the central government set a monthly stipend of Rs. 250 for recipients of the award when it is awarded for bravery.

Established: 17 June 1960, by the President of India.

Obverse: A circular silver medal with a bayonet, point upwards.

Reverse: A standing soldier with the legend in Hindi "Sena Medal" above. The medal is suspended by a straight-bar suspender and is named on the edge. The medal is also often dated on the edge as well.

Ribbon: 32 mm, red, with a 2 mm white central stripe. Red 15 mm, white 2 mm, red 15 mm.

Awards: To understand the award better, a sample recipient would be Major Krishna Maruti Deshmukh, The Punjab Regiment (posthumous): "Awarded for devotion to duty, leadership and tenacious determination in carrying out a reconnaissance in the north-eastern border in 1958. He led his party under trying weather and in the face of continuous physical hardship over difficult terrain, covering a distance of nearly 200 miles by crossing high mountain ranges. In the desire to accomplish the allotted task, Major Deshmukh reached a stage of near exhaustion but set out again with his party and completed the rest of the reconnaissance. Due to a previous illness his constant exertions brought on broncho-pneumonia of which he died on October 22, 1958."