| Ashoka Chakra | |
| Presenter: |  Republic of India |
| Country: | India |
| Type: | Medal |
| Eligibility: |
|
| Awarded For: | Awarded for most conspicuous bravery, or some act of daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice otherwise than in the face of the enemy. |
| Status: | Active |
| Description: | India's highest peacetime military decoration |
| Post-Nominals: | AC |
| Firstawarded: | 1952 |
| Lastawarded: | 2021 |
| Total Awarded: | 98 (As of 2023)[2] |
| Total Awarded Posthumously: | 68 |
| Total Recipients: | 98 |
| Higher: | Bharat Ratna |
| Same: | Param Vir Chakra[3] [4] |
| Lower: | Padma Vibhushan[5] |
The Ashoka Chakra (alternative spelling: Ashok Chakra,) is India's highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action, or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice" other than in the face of the enemy. The decoration may be awarded either to military or civilian personnel.
Havildar Bachittar Singh and Naik Narbahadur Thapa were the first recipients of the Ashoka Chakra. Subsequent awards of the Ashoka Chakra are recognized by a bar to the medal ribbon. A recipient can be awarded the Kirti Chakra or Shaurya Chakra in addition to separate acts of gallantry.
The medal was originally established on 4 January 1952 as the "Ashoka Chakra, Class I" as the first step of a three-class sequence of non-combatant bravery decorations. In 1967, these decorations were removed from the "class-based" system and renamed as the Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, and Shaurya Chakra. This is an important point in understanding the independent Indian view of decorations. It would also lead to changes in the Padma Vibhushan series, the distinguished service medal series, the life-saving medal series, and the Defence Security Corps medal series.
From 1 February 1999, the central government instituted a monthly stipend for Ashoka Chakra recipients of ₹1400. Jammu and Kashmir awarded a cash award of ₹1500 for recipients of this award.
Obverse: Circular gold gilt, 1-3/8 inches in diameter. In the center, the chakra (wheel) of Ashoka, is surrounded by a lotus wreath with an ornate edge. Suspended by a straight bar suspender. The medal is named on the edge.
Reverse: Blank in the center, with "Ashoka Chakra" in Hindi along the upper edge on the medal and the same name in English along the lower rim. On either side is a lotus design. The center is blank, perhaps with the intent that details of the award be engraved there. There is no indication of the class on the pre-1967 awards, and, in fact, there is no difference between these medals & the post-1967 awards.
Ribbon: 32 mm, dark green with a 2 mm central saffron stripe.
, the medal has been awarded to 86 awardees, of which 68 were to posthumous recipients. The rank refers to the rank held by the recipient at the time of award. Action refers to the conflict or event during which the Ashoka Chakra was awarded.
| align=center style="background-color:#e3d9ff" | Indicates posthumous honour |