The Tatrakshak Medal or Coast Guard Medal is an Indian military decoration, awarded for conspicuous devotion to duty or courage in

Indian Coast Guard The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency of India with jurisdiction over its territorial waters including its contiguous zone and Exclusive economic zone of India, exclusive economic zone. It was st ...

. It is conferred by the

President of India The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...

every year on the occasion of national celebrations - the

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...

and the

Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...

History

The Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) was instituted on 7 June 1989 by the

to recognise individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage in the

service. The first award was conferred on 26 January 1990.

Description

All ranks of the Coast Guard are eligible for the medal. If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognized by the addition of a Bar. For every such Bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government shall be added to the riband when worn alone. The medal may be awarded posthumously. The Tatrakshak medal may be awarded for meritorious service as well as gallantry. A maximum of five such medals are awarded each year. There is no annual limit on the number of gallantry medals. The Medal for gallantry is worn next to and immediately after the President's Tatrakshak Medal for distinguished service.

References

{{reflist Military awards and decorations of India Awards established in 1989 1989 establishments in India