Captain Bana Singh PVC is an Indian soldier and a recipient of the nation's highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra. As a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, he led the team that wrested control of the highest peak on the Siachen Glacier in Kashmir from Pakistani forces as part of Operation Rajiv. Following his success, India renamed the peak to Bana Post in his honour.
Singh with his Param Vir Chakra medal
Singh's statue at Param Yodha Sthal, National War Memorial, New Delhi
The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime. Param Vir Chakra translates as the "Wheel of the Ultimate Brave", and the award is granted for "most conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy". As of January 2018, the medal has been awarded 21 times, of which 14 were posthumous and 16 arose from actions in Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army and one has been from the Indian Air Force. Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient. A number of state governments of India as well as ministries of the central government provide allowances and rewards to recipients of the PVC.
PVC medal on 1976 stamp of India
The three living recipients of the Param Vir Chakra: Yogendra Singh Yadav, Bana Singh, and Sanjay Kumar
Image: Major Somnath Sharma statue at Param Yodha Sthal Delhi
Image: Naik Jadunath Singh statue at Param Yodha Sthal Delhi