Dutchhoek11 at 14:16, 3 March 2026

2026-03-03T14:16:50Z

New page

{{Short description|Award}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}}

{{Infobox order
|name= Indian Order of Merit
|image=[[File:Indian Order of Merit 1944.jpg|150px]]<br />[[File:Lint Indische Orde van Verdienste Indian Order of Merit.jpg|100px]]
|caption= Indian Order of Merit (2nd Class, Military Division) (top)<br />Ribbon (bottom)
|awarded_by= the [[British monarch]]
|type= Military decoration
|eligibility= Indian citizens in the armed forces and civilians (civilian division)
|for= Gallantry
|campaign=
|status= Discontinued in 1947
|description=
|post-nominals= IOM
|established=1837
|first_award=
|last_award=
|total=
|posthumous=
|recipients=
|individual=
|higher= [[Victoria Cross]]
|same=
|lower=
|image2=
|caption2=
}}

The '''Indian Order of Merit''' ('''IOM''') was a military and civilian decoration of [[British India]]. It was established in 1837, (General Order of the Governor-General of India, No. 94 of 1 May 1837)<ref name="CMJ">{{cite news |title=Calcutta Monthly Journal and General Register 1837 |page=60}}</ref> although following the [[Partition of India]] in 1947 it was decided to discontinue the award and in 1954 a separate [[Indian honours system]] was developed, to act retrospectively to 1947. For a long period of time the IOM was the highest decoration that a native member of the [[British Indian Army]] could receive and initially it had three divisions. This was changed in 1911 when Indian servicemen became eligible for the [[Victoria Cross]]. A civilian division of the IOM also existed between 1902 and 1939, however, it was only conferred very rarely.

==History==
The medal was first introduced by the [[British East India Company|East India Company]] in 1837, under the name "Order of Merit" and was taken over by the Crown in 1858, following the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]. The name of the medal was changed in 1902 to avoid confusion with a British Order of the [[Order of Merit|same name]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1956-02-874-3 |title=Indian Order of Merit Badge of the 1st Class Military Division, 1837-1912. |publisher=National Army Museum |access-date=17 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004011835/http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1956-02-874-3 |archive-date=4 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Indian Order of Merit was the only gallantry medal available to Native soldiers between 1837 and 1907 when the [[Indian Distinguished Service Medal]] was introduced, and when the [[Victoria Cross]] was opened to native soldiers in 1911. Both divisions of the order were removed when India became independent in 1947. Recipients receive the [[post nominal letters]] IOM.

The original object was to "afford personal reward for personal bravery without reference to any claims founded on mere length of service and general good conduct"<ref name=CMJ/>

==The medal==

===Military Division===

The medal was originally introduced with three classes (first, second and third classes), until others [[medals]] were made available to Indian [[soldiers]], at which point it was reduced to two classes (the [[Victoria Cross]] replacing the first class), and reduced to one class in 1944. A recipient technically needed to be in possession of the lower class before being awarded a higher class, although recipients were sometimes awarded the higher class if they performed more than one act of [[Courage|gallantry]], then they may have been awarded the higher class, without receiving the lower one. The recipients of the [[Order (decoration)|order]] received increased pay and pension allowances and were very highly regarded.<ref name=CMJ/>

===Civil Division===

A civil division was available in two classes between 1902 and 1939, when it was reduced to one class. The civil medal was rarely awarded.

==Description==

[[File:Indian Order of Merit 1918.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Indian Order of Merit, First Second and Third Classes]]

===Third Class===

Eight pointed dull silver star with blue circle, surrounded by silver laurels, in the middle, with crossed swords and the words ''Awarded for Valour'', this was changed to ''Awarded for Gallantry'' in 1944.

Conspicuous act of individual gallantry on the part of any Native Officers or Soldiers, in the Field or in the attack or defence of a Fortified place, without distinction of rank or grade.<ref name=CMJ/>

===Second Class===

Eight pointed shiny silver star with blue circle, surrounded by gold laurels in the middle, with crossed swords and the words Awarded for Valour, this was changed to ''Awarded for Gallantry'' in 1944.

To be obtained by those who already possess the third and for similar services.<ref name=CMJ/>

===First Class===

Eight pointed gold star with blue circle, surrounded by gold laurels in the middle, with crossed swords and the words ''Reward of Valor'', this was changed to ''Awarded for Gallantry'' in 1944.

To be obtained in like manner only by those who possess the third and second classes.<ref name=CMJ/>

===Ribbon===

Dark Blue ribbon flanked by two red stripes of about a sixth of the width.<ref name=CMJ/>

==Notable recipients==
*[[Subedar]] [[Mir Dast]] {{post-nominals|list=[[Victoria Cross|V.C.]], I.O.M.}}
* Jemadar Jai Lal, Gaur Brahmin 4th Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment during "attack on sannaiyat" 17 February 1917<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/tmpel0geufa-decrypted |title=History of the 4th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment}}</ref>
*Subedar [[Kishanbir Nagarkoti]], I.O.M. [[5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)|1/5 GR (FF)]] Only person to have been awarded the IOM four times and hence awarded a gold clasp as recognition.
*[[Maharaja#Compound and dynastic ruler titles|Maharajadhiraja Bahadur]] Sir [[Bijay Chand Mahtab]] {{post-nominals|list=[[G.C.I.E.]], [[Order of the Star of India|K.C.S.I.]], I.O.M.}}
* [[Havildar]] [[Kabir Pun]] was awarded the I.O.M. for his joint actions along with [[John Duncan Grant]] who was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] along with other members of the [[8th Gurkha Rifles]] on 6 July 1904 at the attack at [[Gyantse Dzong]], [[Tibet]] as a part of the [[British expedition to Tibet|British invasion of Tibet]] with Colonel [[Francis Younghusband|Younghusband]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27758/page/574|title=The London Gazette: Official Public Record "War Office, January 24, 1905"|date=24 January 1904|website=The London Gazette: Official Public Record|access-date=13 August 2017|quote="The KING has been graciously pleased to signify His intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross upon the undermentioned officer, whose claims have been submitted for His Majasty's approval, for his conspicuous bravery in Thibet, as stated against his name...}}</ref>
* [[Havildar]] [[Shaikh Paltu]] was promoted from the rank of Sepoy to Havildar and was decorated with the Indian Order of Merit for being loyal to British officers and defending them from [[Mangal Pandey]] by grabbing him.<ref>{{cite book|first=Kim A. |last=Wagner|page=97|title=The Great Fear of 1857. Rumours, Conspiracies and the Making of the Indian Uprising|date=2014 |publisher=Dev Publishers & Distributors |isbn=978-93-81406-34-2}}</ref>
* Jemadar Narayan Singh 17th Dogra for his distinguished service during the Myanmar Campaign 1942

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==

* {{cite book |last=Duckers|first=Peter|title=British Orders and Decorations|orig-year=2004|year=2009|publisher=Shire Publications|location=Oxford|isbn=978-0-7478-0580-9|oclc=55587484|ref=DuckersOD}}
* {{cite book|title="Indian Order of Merit: Historical Records, 1837–1860" Vol I|author=C Parrett & Rana Chhina|year=2010|publisher=Tom Donovan Editions, Brighton, UK}}. Further volumes of this comprehensive work are in the process of compilation and will bring the records up to 1947, ultimately.

==External links==
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wo373.asp Search recommendations for the Indian Order of Merit on The UK National Archives' website.]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110924191014/http://www.imhs.org.uk/ The Website of the Indian Military Historical Society]

{{Decorations of the United Kingdom}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Indian Order Of Merit}}
[[Category:Medals of the Honourable East India Company]]
[[Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of British India]]
[[Category:Orders of merit]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1837]]
[[Category:Awards disestablished in 1947]]
[[Category:1837 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1947 disestablishments in India]]

Indian Order of Merit - Revision history

Dutchhoek11 at 14:16, 3 March 2026