Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation (note the care to distinguish this abbreviation from that for the Victoria Cross (V.C.). It is third in precedence in the war time gallantry awards and comes after the Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra.

Established by the President of India on 26 January 1950 (with effect from 15 August 1947). The statutes were amended 12 January 1952 to readjust the order of wearing as new decorations were established.

The medal is 1-3/8 inch circular silver medal. A five pointed star, with the chakra in the center, and, on this, the domed gilded state emblem. The decoration is named on the rim and suspended from a swiveling straight-bar suspender. The decoration is almost always named and dated on the edge. Around a plain center, two legends separated by lotus flowers; above Vir Chakra in Hindi and in English. The ribbon is 32 mm, half dark blue and half orange-saffron. Dark blue 16 mm, saffron 16 mm.

Vir (pronounced [v̞îːr]; Italian: Puntadura, Dalmatian: Punta de Ura) is an island on the Croatian coast of Adriatic sea located north of the city of Zadar. It is connected to the mainland via a road bridge. The only village on the island is the eponymous village of Vir, with a population of 1,608 (2001).

Vir is notorious/famous for its overpopulation during the summer holiday season. The cause of this is the fact that there are hundreds of smaller and larger privately owned resort-houses on it. These houses arose in the 1980s after the then Yugoslav government at one point considered building a nuclear power plant on Vir because it was so barren. Because of that, the real-estate prices dropped so low that, atypically, many people could buy a parcel of land there.

Many did; the nuclear plant was never built; this resulted in excessive building of resort-houses. It is estimated that hundreds of buildings on Vir will eventually need to be torn down, because they were built without permits since they were contrary to the urban development plans. In 2006, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction targeted over 400 such objects for demolition. The demolition caused a minor diplomatic scandal between governments of Croatia and Hungary because many of the demolished/targeted for demolition objects were owned by Hungarian citizens.

Param Vir (born 1952) is a British composer originally from India.

Born in Delhi, Param Vir read philosophy at Delhi University and studied composition in England with Peter Maxwell Davies and Oliver Knussen.

His works include Horse Tooth White Rock (1994) and the operas Snatched by the Gods and Broken Strings (a double bill commissioned for the Munich Biennale of 1992), and Ion, given at the Aldeburgh Festival in 2000. He has won, among other prizes, the Tippett Award and the Britten Prize.

Brigadier Hoshiar Singh, PVC (May 5, 1937 - December 6, 1998) was born in Sisana village, Sonipat district, Haryana to Choudhary Hira Singh. He served in the Indian Army with dedication, retiring as a Colonel. He was awarded India's highest military honor, the Param Vir Chakra. He died on 6 December 1998 of natural causes.

Hoshiar Singh married Dhanno when he was still studying in the 7th standard.^{[citation needed]} They had three sons.^{[citation needed]} After his schooling and one year's study at the Jat College, Rohtak, he joined the Army.^{[citation needed]}

He was commissioned in The Grenadiers Regiment of the Indian Army on 30 June 1963.^{[citation needed]}

His first posting was in NEFA.^{[citation needed]} In the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war, he saw some action in the Rajasthan sector.^{[citation needed]}

During the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, the 3rd Grenadiers was given the task of establishing a bridgehead across the Basantar River in the Shakargarh Sector from 15 - 17 December 1971. The river was covered with deep minefields on both sides and protected by well-fortified defence by the Pakistani army. Major Hoshiar Singh, commander 'C' Company, was ordered to capture the Pakistani locality of Jarpal. The Pakistani Army reacted and put in sharp counterattacks. Major Hoshiar Singh went from trench to trench, motivating his command and encouraging his men to stand fast and fight as a result his company repulsed all the attacks inflicting heavy casualties on the Pakistani army. Though seriously wounded, Major Hoshiar Singh refused to be evacuated till ceasefire. Throughout this operation, Major Hoshiar Singh displayed most conspicuous gallantry, indomitable fighting spirit and leadership in the highest traditions of the Army. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery and leadership. He was also Mentioned-in-Despatches.

Lance Naik Karam Singh MM, a Sikh, was born on 15 September 1915 in Barnala, Punjab . He is an Indian military war hero who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest wartime military award, in 1948.

Karam Singh retired from the Indian Army as Honorary Captain. He is survived by his wife Gurdial Kaur.

He was enrolled in the 1st battalion of Sikh Regiment on 15 September 1941. Karam Singh fought for India in World War II and was awarded the Military Medal on 14 March 1944.

Karam Singh earned his Param Vir Chakra in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. In the war, India and Pakistan fought battles for control of the Tithwal sector. India captured Tithwal on 23 May 1948, but subsequently lost hold of the position because of strong Pakistani counter-attacks. Between May and October 1948, the two forces engaged in multiple battles over Tithwal. Company Havildar Major Piru Singh Shekhawat showed extreme bravery in a battle near the River Krishnaganga between 17 and 18 July 1948 and was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra.