Nau Sena Medal

Nau Sena Medal
Indian Navy · GODL-India · source
Name	Nau Sena Medal
Caption	Naval decoration of India
Presenter	President of India
Type	Military decoration
Established	1960
Awarded for	Distinguished service or gallantry
Status	Active
First awarded	1960s
Higher	Sena Medal
Lower	Vayu Sena Medal

Nau Sena Medal

The Nau Sena Medal is a decoration conferred on personnel of the Indian Navy for individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or conspicuous gallantry. Instituted in 1960 during the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru and administered under the authority of the President of India, the medal recognizes service in operations, humanitarian missions, and peacetime acts that reflect valor or distinguished performance. Recipients include officers and ratings who have served in engagements related to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Operation Vijay (1999), and Operation Pawan, as well as disaster relief efforts following events involving the Indian Ocean tsunami.

History

The award was established by the President of India in 1960 as part of a trio of service-specific decorations introduced to acknowledge branch-specific achievements across the Armed Forces of India. Early awards coincided with naval operations during crises such as the 1961 Indian annexation of Goa and later conflicts like the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Over time the Nau Sena Medal has been conferred for both gallantry in the face of an adversary and distinguished non-combat service, reflecting shifts seen in other decorations such as the Sena Medal and Vayu Sena Medal. Amendments to statutory instruments governing military honours have clarified post-nominal entitlements and the use of bars for subsequent awards, aligning the medal with reforms affecting the President's Police Medal and civilian awards like the Padma Shri.

Eligibility and Criteria

Eligibility extends to all ranks of the Indian Navy, including officers commissioned from institutions such as the Indian Naval Academy, ratings trained at the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, and reservists mobilized from the Maharashtra Naval Unit. Criteria encompass conspicuous gallantry under circumstances not warranting the higher Param Vishisht Seva Medal or Maha Vir Chakra, and distinguished service during operations such as Operation Rahat, Operation Samudra Setu, and anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia. Recommendations typically originate from commanding officers within formations like the Western Naval Command or Eastern Naval Command and follow endorsement by flag officers and review boards akin to those used for the Gallantry Awards Committee. Bars are authorized for subsequent acts meriting repeat conferment, mirroring practices seen with the Ashoka Chakra and other gallantry medals.

Design and Insignia

The medal is circular, struck in white metal, and features naval iconography evocative of traditions represented by the Indian Navy and maritime heritage institutions such as the Indian Naval Museum. The obverse displays an emblematic device surrounded by a wreath similar to elements used in the badges of the Chief of the Naval Staff and the crest seen on ships like INS Vikramaditya. The reverse bears the State Emblem of India and space for engraving the recipient’s name and service number, a practice shared with decorations such as the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. The ribbon is predominantly blue with narrow stripes, reflecting colours associated with the Indian Naval Ensign and reminiscent of ribbon patterns for naval awards in Commonwealth navies, including those used historically by Royal Navy decorations. Miniatures and insignia for mess dress align with provisions applied to long-service badges of institutions such as the National Defence Academy.

Order of Precedence

In the Indian order of precedence for military decorations the Nau Sena Medal is placed alongside service-specific medals, ranking comparably to the Sena Medal and the Vayu Sena Medal but below higher decorations for gallantry and distinguished service such as the Ashoka Chakra and the Param Vir Chakra. Within formal ceremonial protocols observed at establishments like INS Vikrant and naval headquarters, recipients wear the medal and ribbon in accordance with regulations issued by the Ministry of Defence and practices consistent with precedence rules applied to awards like the Kirti Chakra and the Shaurya Chakra.

Notable Recipients

Notable awardees include officers and sailors recognized for actions during major operations and humanitarian missions. Recipients have included leaders from fleet units such as the commanders of INS Kolkata, veterans who served during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, personnel involved in Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, and sailors who executed rescue operations after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Several recipients later advanced to senior appointments including the office of Chief of the Naval Staff, and some have been dual-honourees with other medals like the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

Awarding Process and Presentations

Nominations originate within chain-of-command structures at bases and ships, with endorsements by commanding officers and review by committees modeled on the Gallantry Awards Committee and panels convened by the Ministry of Defence. Final approval is granted by the President of India and announcements are often made on national occasions such as Republic Day (India) and Independence Day (India). Presentation ceremonies take place at naval establishments, presidential residences like the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and during fleet reviews, with investiture protocols paralleling those for awards such as the Bharat Ratna in terms of formality for state presentations.

Category:Indian military awards