26 Recipients of the Maha Vir Chakra

The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The medal may be awarded posthumously.

Major Padmapani Acharya, MVC was an officer in the Indian Army. He was awarded the second highest Indian military honour, Maha Vir Chakra posthumously for his actions during the Kargil War on 28 June 1999.

Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari, MVC, was an Indian Army officer who laid down his life during the Kargil War. He was posthumously awarded the second highest Indian military honour, the Maha Vir Chakra for bravery on the battlefield.

Brigadier Vijay Kumar Berry, MVC is a retired officer of the Indian Army who served with the Parachute Regiment, and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. The award was made for his actions immediately after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, for his conspicuous gallantry and outstanding leadership while leading a company of the 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment in an assault on a Pakistani defensive position that remained inside Indian territory. He retired from the army as a brigadier and lives in New Delhi.

Dhobi Ram Chander, MVC was a civilian who was awarded the Mahavir Chakra during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. He is one of only two civilians to have been awarded the Mahavir Chakra.

Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya MVC is the only Indian Air Force Officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest wartime gallantry award and is less in precedence only to the Param Vir Chakra. During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, Sqn Ldr A B Devayya was part of a strike mission when he was attacked by an enemy aircraft. He shot down the enemy pursuer's plane but in the process his aircraft was damaged and he went missing. Presumably he died in Pakistani territory. 23 years later, in 1988, he was posthumously awarded the retrospective MVC award for this feat in the 1965 conflict.

Wing Commander Jag Mohan Nath, was an officer in the Indian Air Force. He is the first of the six officers to have been decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest war time military decoration, twice. He was decorated for his operations in the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Captain Neikezhakuo Kengurüse, MVC was an Indian Army officer of 2 Rajputana Rifles, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, for exemplary valour in combat during operations in the Kargil War in 1999.

Digendra Kumar MVC, SM is a former member of the 2nd battalion of the Rajputana Rifles regiment of the Indian army. He was awarded the Mahavir Chakra on 15 August 1999, for his acts of bravery in the Kargil War. He retired from the army on 31 July 2005.

Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla, MVC was an officer of the Indian Navy. As the Commanding Officer of INS Khukri, he chose to go down with his ship when his ship was sunk during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Captain Anuj Nayyar, MVC was an Indian Army officer of 17 Jat who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, for exemplary valour in combat during operations in the Kargil War in 1999.

Captain Keishing Clifford Nongrum, MVC was an Indian Army officer of 12 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, who was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest gallantry award, for exemplary valor in combat during operations in the Kargil War in 1999.

Vice Admiral Swaraj Parkash, PVSM, MVC, AVSM was a former Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He was the Captain of the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (R11) during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for which he was decorated with India's second-highest military decoration, the Maha Vir Chakra. He last served as the second Director General of the Indian Coast Guard from 1980 to 1982.

General Tapishwar Narain Raina Padma Bhushan, MVC, best known as T.N. Raina, was a senior army officer and a diplomat who served as the Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army between 1975 and 1978.

Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, MVC was an Indian Army soldier serving in the Garhwal Rifles who won the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously as a result of his actions during the battle of Nuranang in present-day Arunachal Pradesh, India, during the Sino-Indian War. He was honoured by Mahavir Chakra.

Brigadier Narinder Singh Sandhu MVC was an Indian Army officer who was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), the second-highest Indian military decoration, for gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. Sandhu was commissioned into the Indian Army Armoured Corps in 1953, and participated in the Battle of Asal Uttar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, and was mentioned in dispatches. He transferred to the Dogra Regiment in 1970, and it was for his performance as commanding officer of the 10th Battalion, Dogra Regiment during an assault on a fortified Pakistan Army position that he was awarded the MVC. He retired as a brigadier and was active in veterans' and gallantry award recipients' matters until his death of colorectal cancer in 2018.

Brig Sant Singh was an officer in the Indian Army. He was one of the six officers of the Indian Army to have been twice decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest war time military decoration. He was one of the Indian officers involved in training the Mukti Bahini, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Brigadier Rattan Nath Sharma, MVC, was an officer in the Indian Army who served with the Punjab Regiment, and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second-highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. The award was made for his actions during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, when he displayed exemplary courage and outstanding leadership while commanding the 21st Battalion, Punjab Regiment, in a successful assault on a fortified Pakistani position near the Poonch River in the Jammu and Kashmir sector of the Western Front. He retired from the army in 1977 as a brigadier, after which he was the chief managing director of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative. He died in a vehicle accident in December 2011.

Brig. Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh Bahadur MVC was the last titular Maharaja of Jaipur from 24 June 1970 until 1971 when all titles, privileges, and privy purses associated with princely states in India were abolished by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India. He died at age 79 due to multi-organ failure.

Jemadar Nand Singh, VC, MVC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Brigadier Rajinder Singh Jamwal, MVC, also remembered as the Saviour of Kashmir, was an officer in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces who died fighting during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948. Brigadier Rajinder Singh and his men successfully delayed the forward movement of a much larger contingent of Pakistani regulars and tribal raiders towards Srinagar until the Indian Army arrived.

Brigadier Mohammad Usman MVC was the highest ranking officer of the Indian Army killed in action during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. As a Muslim, Usman became a symbol of India's "inclusive secularism". At the time of the partition of India he with many other Muslim officers declined to move to the Pakistan Army and continued to serve with the Indian Army. He was killed in July 1948 while fighting Pakistani soldiers and militia in Jammu and Kashmir. He was later awarded the second highest military decoration for gallantry in the face of enemy, the Maha Vir Chakra

General Arunkumar Shridhar Vaidya PVSM, MVC & Bar, AVSM, ADC was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He served as the 13th Chief of the Army Staff from 1983 to 1986. In a distinguished career spanning over four decades and three wars, he was decorated twice with the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) - the nation's second-highest gallantry award. He is one of only six recipients of the bar to the MVC in the Indian Armed Forces. Following his retirement, he was assassinated by militants in August 1986.

Lieutenant General Raj Mohan Vohra, PVSM, MVC was a General Officer of the Indian Army. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his bravery and leadership in the Battle of Basantar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He died of Coronavirus disease 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020.

Colonel Sonam Wangchuk, MVC is an Indian Army veteran, who served with the Assam Regiment and the Ladakh Scouts. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, during his successful operation in the Kargil War.