With the inception of Company rule in India by the East India Company in 1757, the tradition of giving medals also began. Campaign medals and awards were given to soldiers who fought in the Company's presidency armies (Bengal Army of Bengal Presidency, Madras Army of Madras Presidency and Bombay Army of Bombay Presidency) and after 1895 to the British Indian Army and also the Imperial Service Troops of the princely states. Alongside them awards were given to the personnel of Royal Indian Navy and of Royal Indian Air Force with its incorporation in 1932.
The company's powers were removed in 1858 after the Indian Mutiny, and the British Crown assumed direct control of India. During the British Raj, new medals and orders were established and were awarded for the services to the Crown and the Indian Empire by Europeans and Indians of British India and the princely states. After 1914, Indians also became eligible for British Honours. The following is a list of orders, decorations and medals related to British in India:[1][2]
Orders
Orders of chivalry
Order of the Star of India (1861–1947)
Order of the Indian Empire (1878–1947)
Order of the Crown of India (1878–1947)
Order of merit
Order of British India (1837–1947)
Medals
Civil
Kaisar-i-Hind Medal (1900–1947)
Military
Indian Order of Merit (1837–1947)
Indian Distinguished Service Medal (1907–1947)
MacGregor Medal (1887–2020)
Service medals
Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) (1848–1873)
Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) (1848–1873)
Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Indian Army) (1848–1873)
Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army) (1888–1947)
Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies (1894–1899)
Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies (1896–1930)
Police
Indian Police Medal (1932–1950)
Commemoration medals
Campaign medals
Monghyr Mutiny Medal (1766)
Deccan Medal (1784)
Mysore Medal (1793)
Egypt Medal (1801)
Seringapatam Medal (1801)
Capture of Ceylon Medal (1807)
Medal for capture of Rodrigues, Isle of Bourbon and Isle of France (1811)
Java Medal (1812)
Nepal Medal (1816)
Burma Medal (1826)
Coorg Medal (1837)
Ghuznee Medal (1839)
Jellalabad Medals (1842)
Medal for the Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie (1842)
Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal (1842)
China War Medal (1842)
Scinde Medal (1843)
Gwalior Star (1844)
Sutlej Medal (1846)
Punjab Medal (1849)
Army of India Medal (1851)
India General Service Medal (1854)
Indian Mutiny Medal (1858)
Second China War Medal (1861)
Afghanistan Medal (United Kingdom) (1881)
Abyssinian War Medal (1869)
Kabul to Kandahar Star (1881)
Central Africa Medal (1895)
India Medal (1896)
East and Central Africa Medal (1899)
China War Medal (1900)
Tibet Medal (1905)
India General Service Medal (1909)
India General Service Medal (1936)
India Service Medal (1946)
Battle honours
- Mysore (1789–91)
- Egypt (battle honour) (1801)
- Assaye (battle honour) (1803)
- Abyssinia (battle honour) (1868)
Titles
First Class
Second Class
Third Class
See also
References
- ↑ Puddester, Robert P. (2014). Medals of British India: The story of the Army of India Medal and the medal roll of the East India Company's land forces. Puddester Numismatic Foundation. ISBN 978-0-9920141-0-0.
- ↑ Puddester, Robert P. (1987). Catalogue of British India Historical Medals: Including Temperance, Shooting and Sporting Medals, Badges, and Miscellaneous Items. R.C. Senior. ISBN 978-0-9511308-2-7.