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.
The Battle of Basantar also known as the Battle of Shakargarh or Battle of Barapind was one of the vital battles fought as part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the western sector of India. The Indian troops won a hard-fought battle that secured this area in the Punjab/Jammu sector. The name Battle of Basantar actually encompasses the entire gamut of battles and skirmishes fought in the Shakargarh sector.
General Arunkumar Shridhar VaidyaPVSM, 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. Following his retirement, he was assassinated by Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha in August 1986. This was done in vengeance of Operation Blue Star. General Arun Vaidya commanded this operation.
The Bihar Regiment is an Indian Army infantry regiment. It traces its origins back to the British Indian Army. The Bihar Regiment was formed in 1941 by regularising the 11th (Territorial) Battalion, the 19th Hyderabad Regiment, and raising new battalions. The Bihar Regimental Centre (BRC) is located at Danapur Cantonment, Patna, the second oldest cantonment of India. INS Vikramaditya, the Indian Navy's largest ship and one of its two aircraft carriers is affiliated to the Bihar Regiment, Indian Army's highly decorated and battle-hardened unit.
Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri MVC, VSM was a decorated Indian Army officer. He is known for his leadership in the Battle of Longewala during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, for which he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the second highest Indian military decoration, by the Indian government. The 1997 Hindi film Border was based on the battle, with his role played by Sunny Deol. He was a councillor in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation from 2006 to 2011.
Lieutenant General Ranjit Singh Dyal, PVSM, MVC was an Indian Army general and an administrator. As a soldier, Ranjit Singh led the capture of the Haji Pir pass by the Indian army during the 1965 war with Pakistan. He also drew up the plans for Operation Blue Star, and served as the General-Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command. Later, he served as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Lt. Gen. Hanut Singh Rathore, PVSM, MVC was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra for his role in the Battle of Basantar in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Rear Admiral Santosh Kumar Gupta, MVC, NM is a former flag officer of the Indian Navy. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, the nation's second-highest gallantry award for his command of INAS 300 during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.
Lieutenant General Khem Karan Singh MVC was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He was awarded Padma Bhushan for his services to the nation during the 1971 war. He also received Maha Vir Chakra for his services during 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.
Wing Commander Padmanabha Gautam, MVC & Bar, VM was an officer in the Indian Air Force. He was awarded the India's second-highest war-time gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra twice. Awarded during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Gautam is one of only six officers to have been decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra twice.
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.
Air Vice Marshal Chandan Singh, MVC, AVSM, VrC was an Air Officer in the Indian Air Force. A highly decorated officer, Singh was awarded the Vir Chakra during the Sino-Indian War and the Maha Vir Chakra during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
The 54th Infantry Division is an Infantry division of the Indian Army. The Division was raised as an Infantry Division, but was converted into a Reorganised Amphibious Formation (RAMFOR) in 2011. It is currently the only division of the Indian Army which carries out Amphibious warfare. The division is headquartered at Secunderabad in Telangana and is a part of XXI Corps. The Division is commanded by a Two-star General Officer of the rank of Major General titled General Officer Commanding (GOC).
Lieutenant General Ved Prakash Airy, MVC was an officer of the Indian Army, who served with the 3 Grenadiers. He is best known for his participation in the Battle of Basantar, one of the major battles of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, where he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.
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.
Brigadier Amarjit Singh Bal, MVC was an officer of the Indian Army, who served with the 17 Horse. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, during the Battle of Basantar in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
Major General Harish Chandra Pathak, MVC, AVSM was an officer of the Indian Army, who belonged to the SikhLI Regiment. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, during Battle of Fatehpur, Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
Major General Chittoor Venugopal PVSM, MVC was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra for his role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
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.
Major Vivek Gupta MVC was an officer in the Indian Army. He was posthumously conferred the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest war-time military honour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil War.
India 
Indian Army 
Major General 
Maha Vir Chakra 