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MacGregor Medal

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MacGregor Medal
Obverse and Reverse of the medal
TypeMilitary award
Awarded forFor military intelligence through reconnaissance, exploration and survey; later, for adventure
Country India
Presented byUnited Service Institution of India
StatusActive
EstablishedMay 1887; 137 years ago (May 1887)[1]
First awarded1889
Last awarded2020
Total122
Ribbon[2]

The MacGregor Medal (also referred to as the MacGregor Memorial Medal) is awarded for valuable military intelligence through reconnaissance, exploration, survey or other similar activities of national importance.[3][4][5] Awardees have included Survey of India personnel, military attaches, consuls, political officers and Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel (including British officers before Independence).[6] Post 1947 the medal has only been awarded to military personnel. A few medals have been awarded for escapes from enemy-occupied territory while some medals were awarded for successful operations inside enemy territory.[7] Sometimes the awardee would be conferred the medal years after the journey had been made.[8] Currently the domains incorporated are land, sea and air. Over the years the necessity and opportunities related to exploration have declined and this in turn has been coupled with a decline in recommendations. In this light the eligibility has been expanded to adventure activities mountain and desert expeditions, rafting, world circumnavigation, polar expedition and flights.[9][10][7]

History

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The medal was instituted in May 1887 to honour the memory of United Service Institution of India founder, Major General Sir Charles MacGregor.[1][11] The original criteria for award of the medal were enunciated out on 3 July 1888 at Shimla at a meeting in the presence of Commander-in-Chief General Sir FS Roberts and the Viceroy of India.[1] After the partition of British India into India and Pakistan, the award was adopted by India and continues to this day. 122 medals have been awarded: 7 gold medals to officers, 67 standard size silver medals to officers (including 5 VCOs and JCOs), and 48 reduced size silver medals to other ranks/soldiers.[1][11] One British officer has been awarded the medal twice, A. S. Lancaster, as a major in 1938, and again as a colonel in 1946;[11] and one British Indian, Shahzad Mir, first as Daffadar, in 1897, then again as Risaldar in 1906.[12] For reconnaissance in 1891, Havildar Ramzan Khan, Punjab Frontier Force, was the first Indian to be awarded the medal.

Specifications

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There are three versions of the medal. The standard silver medal 2+3⁄4 inches (70 mm) without any attachments, the reduced gold medal 1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) without any attachments and the reduced silver medal 1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) with attachments to suspend around neck. The obverse side contains an effigy of Major General Sir Charles MacGregor. Inscribed on the upper periphery is "Major General Sir Charles MacGregor KCB CSI CIE". Inscribed on the lower periphery is "In Memoriam 1887". The reserve side contains various figures of army personnel. Details of the awardee are inscribed on the outer rim.[13] The colours of the ribbon are (from left to right) — Red, Green, Red, Green, Black, White, Black, Green, Red, Green, Red. The colours are based on the 'MacGregor tartan'.[6]

Recent winners

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  • Kumar, 2020: For accomplishments in long distance running[14]
    Kumar, 2020: For accomplishments in long distance running[14]
  • Tomy, 2013: first Indian to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe under sail.[15]
    Tomy, 2013: first Indian to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe under sail.[15]
  • Donde, 2010: first Indian to complete a solo, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe under sail[16]
    Donde, 2010: first Indian to complete a solo, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe under sail[16]
  • Monga & Kumar, 2007: world trip in a microlight aircraft[17]
    Monga & Kumar, 2007: world trip in a microlight aircraft[17]

Pre-1947 recipients

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Key

  • No. – Award number
  • Rank – Rank at the time of the award
  • Year – Year in which the exploration for which the award was given took place
1
1890: F. Younghusband
1896: GK Cockerill
1920: S Blacker
1943: OG Wingate

Only recipients with articles have been listed

No. Name Rank Year Ref/Notes
1 MS Bell Colonel 1889 [11]
2 F Younghusband Captain 1890 [11]
8 H Bower Captain 1893 [11]
12 HR Davies Captain 1895 [11]
14 GK Cockerill Lieutenant 1896 [11]
16 EJE Swayne Captain 1897 [11]
18 HB Walker Captain 1898 [11]
41 KBS Jang Subedar 1910 [11]
44 G Leachman Captain 1911 [11]
52 FM Bailey Captain 1914 [18]
53 HT Morshead Captain 1914 [19]
60 EWC Noel Captain 1918 [20]
61 EH Keeling Lieutenant Colonel 1919 [11]
63 LVS Blacker Captain 1920 [11]
65 AL Holt Major 1921 [11]
69 JG Bruce Captain 1923 [11]
76 CHGH Harvey–Kelly Major 1926 [11]
99 OC Wingate Major General 1943 [11]

Post-1947 recipients

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Awards were accompanied with entries in the Register for MacGregor Medal. The entry for Captain S.L. Tugnait, awarded for 1958, reads:[21]

"Captain S.L. Tugnait... Air OP Squadron, Regiment of Artillery. Valuable Military Recce in Northern Ladakh. Covered the route from Leh over the 21,000 ft Chang La (Sic. 17,590 ft) into the Shyok River Valley to Ponyvang Lake (Sic. Pangong Tso). From there to Quazi-Haji Langer-Quaratag Pass, and back by the Karakuram Pass to Daulat Beg Oldi - Sasar Kangri over the Sasar La into the Nubra Valley and back to Leh over the 19,600 ft Kharding La"

This list is complete and up to date as of February 2021.
No. Service Name Awardee details Year Notes
Rank Other details
104. ZC Bakshi Major VrC, 2nd Bn, 5th Gorkha Rifles (F.F) 1949 [11]
105. IC Katoch Colonel MBE, 6th Bn, 5th Gorkha Rifles (F.F) 1951 [11]
106. MS Jarg Captain 3rd Bn, Jat Regiment 1956 [11]
107. IB Goel 2nd Lieutenant Bengal Engineers Group 1956 [11]
108. Vinod Badhwar Captain 5th Bn, 5th Gorkha Rifles (F.F) 1957 [11]
109. SL Tugnait Captain Air Op Squadron, Regiment of Artillery 1958 [21]
110. ML Whig Brigadier MVC FRGS, 2nd Bn, 5th Gorkhas Rifles (F.F) 1969 [11]
111. Prem Chand Major VSM, 13th Bn, Dogra Regiment 1970 [11]
112. CS Nugyal Colonel 6th Bn, Sikh Regiment 1971 [11]
113. Ravindra Misra Captain 4th Bn, 3rd Gorkha Rifles 1972 [11]
114. Bel Bahadur Pun Subedar 4th Bn, 3rd Gorkha Rifles 1972 [11]
115. Narender Kumar Colonel PVSM, KC, AVSM (Retd) Kumaon Regiment 1978 to 1981 [11]
116. Ram Karan Makkar Squadron Leader 127 HU, Indian Air Force 1986 [22]
117. Rana TS Chhina Flight Lieutenant 127 HU, Indian Air Force 1986 [22]
118. NJ Korgaokar Lieutenant Colonel SM, Garhwal Regiment 1997 [22]
119. Rahul Monga Wing Commander SC, Indian Air Force 2007 [17]
120. Soumik Ghosh Flight Lieutenant SC, Indian Air Force 2010 [17]
121. Dilip Donde Commander Indian Navy 2010 [16]
122. Abhilash Tomy Lieutenant Commander Indian Navy, KC, NM 2013 [15]
123. Sanjay Kumar Electrical Artificer (P) 3 Indian Navy 2020 [14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Chhina, Squadron Leader (Retd) Rana TS (October–December 2020). "The MacGregor Memorial Medal". United Service Institution of India. Journal of the United Service Institution of India, Vol. CL, No. 622. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  2. ^ "Ever Observed Colorful Ribbons On Soldier's Uniform? Here's What They Mean". SSBCrack. 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  3. ^ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 471.
  4. ^ Executive Committee Meetings Minutes, USI & 1988-2002, p. 152.
  5. ^ USI Journal (2020), p. 582.
  6. ^ a b Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 476.
  7. ^ a b Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 477.
  8. ^ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 472.
  9. ^ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 474.
  10. ^ Sood, President's Report USI Journal (1991), p. 4-5.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Macgregor Medal. United Service Institution of India. Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine. Archived on 1 January 2021.
  12. ^ Hamond 1994, p. 55.
  13. ^ Hamond, USI Journal (1990), p. 474–475.
  14. ^ a b "Award of Mac Gregor Memorial Medal". Indian Navy. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  15. ^ a b "Who is Indian Navy Commander Abhilash Tomy?". India Today. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 2021-02-19. He was also awarded the MacGregor Medal in 2013 which is awarded to Indian Armed Forces personnel for valuable military reconnaissance.
  16. ^ a b Sinha, Cdr Rahul; Vispute, Narendra (September 2014). "Book Release: A Solo Circumnavigation". Sainik Samachar. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
  17. ^ a b c Upasani, Wg Cdr Mahesh (September 2017). "Fabulous Fliers". Sainik Samachar. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  18. ^ Waller 1990, p. 240.
  19. ^ Dalal 1985, p. 280.
  20. ^ Hopkirk 1994, p. 276.
  21. ^ a b Singh, Lt-Gen (retd) Baljit (28 June 2020). "Enemy at the gates and a 910-km walk". Tribune India. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  22. ^ a b c Executive Committee Meetings Minutes, USI & 1988-2002, p. 244.

Bibliography

USI Journals

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