Until 1912, the Victoria Cross could not be awarded to Indian members of the Indian Army and was restricted for award only to Europeans (and occasional "Anglo-Indians") in the Indian Army and, with few exceptions, to Europeans in general. While this fact should not diminish the bravery of the 95 (or is it 101?) English officers who won the award for services with Indian Army Regiments before that date. (There is considerable confusion over the numbver of VCs awarded to H.E.I.C./Indian Army officers before 1912 and numbers range from 95 to 101; this is linked to the inevitable confusion of the fairly common practice of "attached" or "seconded" service.)

For Indian soldiers, who were not allowed the VC, theolder Indian Order of Merit was the award "of choice" to reward bravery before 1912 when (1837-1911) 42 first class IOMs were alwards (one with a special bar), 130 second class, and 2740 third class.

The Royal Warrant of 21 October 1911 (published in the London Gazette of 12 November 1911, p. 9369, but not publically announced in India until the coronantion durbar in Delhi the following month) destroyed the "color bar" for Victoria Cross awards in the Indian Army and allowed Indians to receive this decoration. Accordingly, the first class of the Indian Order of Merit was terminated by Army Order No. 757 of 3 August 1912 (w.e.f. 12 December 1911) and the remaining classes were renumbered.

The Victoria Cross is a well known and deservedly famous decoration, and there seems to be no good reason to include much in the way of description of history here. Other VC links are given below for those who wish such background.

From 1912 until 1947, 40 VCs were awarded to Indian soldiers, while in the same time frame 12 awards came to the British officers of the Indian Army. VC awards for the Indian Army during this period break down as follows:

After the Partition of India 1947 awards of the Victoria Cross ceased and with the attainment of full status of the successor states as self-governing republics, awards of the Victoria Cross ceased, to be replaced by the Param Vir Chakra in India and the Nishan-i-Haider in Pakistan. Some VCs continued to be awarded to South Asians, to Gurhkas serving with British forces. These lie beyond the scope and focus of this study, so they are generally excluded here.

As of 1 July 1997, only ten Indian (i.e., South Asian) VC holders survived:

1. Captain Agansingh Rai, VC (Nepal)
2. Jemadar Ali Haider, VC (Pakistan)
3. Havildar Bhanbhagta Gurung, VC (Nepal)
4. Captain Bhandari Ram, VC (India)
5. Captain Gaje Ghale, VC (India)
6. Captain Ganju Lama, VC, MM, PD (India [Sikkim])
7. Havildar Lachman Gurung, VC (Nepal)
8. Captain Rambahadur Limbu, VC, MVO (Nepal) -- a November 1965 award for Borneo (lying outside the scope of these pages)
9. Lieutenent Tulbahadur Pun, VC (Nepal)
10. Subadar Major Umrao Singh, VC (India)

From 1912 to 1947, the following Indian soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross:

1. 4050 Sepoy Khuda Dad Khan, 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis - 31 October 1914 - Hollebeke, Belgium/France
2. Jemadar Mir Dost, I.O.M., Bahadur, 55th Coke's Rifles - 26 April 1915 - Ypres, France
3. 1909 Naik Darwan Singh Negi, 1/39 Garhwal Rifles - 24 November 1914 - Festerburt, France
4. 501 L/Naik Lala, 41st Dogras - 21 January 1916 - El Orah, Mesopotamia
5. Risaldar Badlu Singh, 14th Murray's Jat Lancers - 23 September 1918 - Kh. es Samariyeh, Palestine (posthumous)
6. 2008 L/Daffadar Gobind Singh, 28th Light Cavalry - 1 February 1917 - Pozieres, France
7. 2129 Rifleman Kulbir Thapa, 2/3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles - 25/26 September 1915 - Manquisart, France
8. 1685 Rifleman Gobar Singh Negi, 2/39th Garhwal Rifles - 10 March 1915 - Neuve Chapelle, France (posthumous)
9. 1605 Naik Shah Ahmad Khan, 1/89th Punjabis - 12/13 April 1916 - Beit Ayeesa, Mesopotamia
10. 3398 Sepoy Chatta Singh, 1/9th Bhopal Infantry - 13 January 1916 - Wadi, Mesopotamia
11. 4146 Rifleman Karan Bahadur Rana, 2/3rd Gurkha Rifles - 10 April 1918 - El Kefr, Egypt
12. 1012 Sepoy Ishar Singh, 28th Punjabis - 10 April 1921 - Haidar Kach, Waziristan
13. 2/Lieutenant Premindra Singh Bhagat, Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners - 31 January/1 February 1941 - Gondar, Ethiopia
14. IO-7055 Subedar Richpal Ram, 4/6th Rajputana Rifles - 7-11 February 1941 - Keren, Eritrea, Ethiopia (posthumous)
15. 14696 Havildar Parkash Singh, 3/8th Punjab Regiment - 19 January 1943 - Donbaik, Mayu Peninsula, Burma
16. 915 Subedar Lal Bahadur Thapa, 1/2 King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles - 5/6 April 1943 - Rass La Zondi, Wadi Akarit, Tunisia
17. 8638 Company Havildar Major Chhelu Ram, 4th Rajputana Rifles - 19/20 April 1943 - Djebel Garci, Tunisia (posthumous)
18. 6816 Havildar Gaje Ghale, 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) - 24 May 1943 - Chin Hills, Burma
19. Naik Nand Singh, The Sikh Regiment - 11/12 March 1944 - Kalaparzin Valley, Arakan, Burma
20. 11460 Jemadar Abdul Hafiz, 9th Jat Regiment - 6 April 1944 - Imphal, Assam (posthumous)
21. 2931144 Sepoy Kamal Ram, 8th Punjab Regiment - 12 May 1944 - Gari River, Italy
22. 78763 Rifleman Ganju Lama, M.M., 7th Gurkha Rifles - 12 June 1944 - Ningthoukhong, Impal, Assam
23. Naik Agan Singh Rai, 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) - 26 June 1944 - Bishenpur-Silchar Track, Imphal, Assam
24. IO-28467 Subadar Netra Bahadur Thapa, 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) - 25/26 June 1944 - Bishenpur, Imphal, Assam (posthumous)
25. 9192 Naik Yashwant Ghadge, 3/5th Maratha Light Infantry - 10 July 1944 - Citta di Castello, Italy (posthumous)
26. 10119 Rifleman Tul Bahadur Pun, 6th Gurkha Rifles - 23 June 1944 - Mogaung, Burma
27. 70690 Rifleman Sher Bahadur Thapa, 1/9th Gurkha Rifles - 18 September 1944 - San Marino, Italy (posthumous)
28. IO-46921 Subadar Ram Sarup Singh, 1st Punjab Regiment - 25 October 1944 - Tamu, Burma (posthumous)
29. 24782 Sepoy Bandhari Ram, 10th (16th?) Baluch Regiment - 22 November 1944 - East Mayu, Arakan, Burma
30. 55537 Rifleman Thaman Gurung, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) - 10 November 1944 - Monte San Bartolo, Italy (posthumous)
31. IO-49170 Jemedar Prakash Singh, 13th Frontier Force Rifles - 17 February 1945 - Kalan Ywathit, Burma (posthumous)
32. 14922 L/Naik Sher Shah, M.M., 16th Punjab Regiment - 20 January 1945 - Kyeyebyin, Kaladan Valley, Burma (posthumous)
33. Naik Gian Singh, 15th Punjab Regiment - 2 March 1945 - Kamye-Myingyan, Burma
34. 18602 Naik Fazal Din, 10th Baluch Regiment - 2 March 1945 - Meiktila, Burma (posthumous)
35. 44928 Havildar Umrao Singh, Indian Artillery - 15 December 1944 - Kaladan Valley, Arakan, Burma
36. 10020 L/Naik Bhabbhagta Gurung, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles - 5 March 1945 - Snowden East, Ramree Island, Arakan, Burma
37. 18706 Sepoy Namdeo Jadhav, 1/5th Maratha Light Infantry - 9 April 1945 - Senio River, Italy
38. IEC-5504 Lieutenant Karamjeet Singh Judge, 15th Punjab Regiment - 8 March 1945 - Myingyan, Burma (posthumous)
39. 26534 Sepoy Ali Haider, 13th Frontier Force Rifles - 9 April 1945 - Senio River, Italy
40. 87726 Rifleman Lachman Gurung, 4/8th Gurkha Rifles - 13 May 1945 - Taungdaw, Burma

Bibliography:

• Abbott, P. E., and J. M. A. Tamplin, British Gallantry Awards (Enfield: Guinness Superlatives, Ltd., [1971])
• [Gandhi, S. S.], Encyclopaedia of Soldiers with Highest Gallantry Awards (New Delhi: The Defence Review, [1980])
• [Henderson, A. J.], "V.C. and G.C. Association's Visit to Penhurst Place," Journal of the Orders and Medals Research Society, 36, 4 (Winter 1997): 310
• Honours and Awards: Indian Army, August 1913-novust 1921 (reprint ed. of Roll of Honour Indian Army 1914-1921; London: J. B. Hayward & Son, [1982])
• Hypher, P. P., comp., Deeds of Valour Performed by Indian Officers and Soldiers, During the Period from 1860 to 1925 (Simla: Liddell's Press, 1927)
• Kaushala, R. S., Gallantry Awards for the Armed Forces of India (Pathankot: The Krishna Book Depot, [1961])
• Stainstreet, Allan, "Surviving Holders of theVictoria Cross and George Cross as at 1 July 1997," Journal of the Orders and Medals Research Society, 36, 4 (Winter 1997): 263-65

Sources: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/haynese/india/medals/VC/IndVC.html