Was 2025 really the first time the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal was awarded to IAF personnel? Asianet Newsable uncovers the truth and profiles the heroes honoured for their role in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.
New Delhi: Social media has been abuzz with celebratory claims — that the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM) has been awarded to Indian Air Force personnel for the first time in the country’s history. While the announcement of four top IAF officers being honoured with the wartime distinguished service medal on the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day is indeed remarkable, Asianet Newsable English dug deeper and found that the “first-ever” claim simply doesn’t hold up.
In fact, the SYSM had already been conferred on an IAF officer more than two decades ago — during the Kargil war.
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What is the SYSM?
The Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal is one of India’s highest wartime distinguished service awards. It is conferred for the most exceptional service in an operational context, equivalent in prestige to the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) — which is awarded during peacetime.
It stands apart from gallantry awards like the Param Vir Chakra or Vir Chakra, focusing instead on distinguished leadership and service in war.
The First IAF SYSM Awardee — Air Marshal Vinod Patney
A decorated veteran of both the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, Air Marshal Vinod Patney (Retd) was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal on April 6, 2000 for his role in the 1999 Kargil War, also known as Operation Vijay.
His illustrious career saw him serve as:
- Commander of a Jaguar base
- Air Advisor in London
- Air Officer Commanding of Jammu & Kashmir
- Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of both the Western and Central Air Commands
- Vice Chief of Air Staff of the IAF
In 2001, after retirement, he was appointed to the National Security Advisory Board.
2025 Awards — Operation Sindoor Brings SYSM Back into Spotlight
On the eve of the 79th Independence Day, the government announced that four senior IAF officers would receive the SYSM for their role in Operation Sindoor, carried out earlier this year.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a decisive retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. The armed forces struck nine terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, eliminating over 100 terrorists. When Pakistan attempted retaliation, India swiftly repelled the attack and responded by pounding multiple Pakistani airbases.
Meet the 2025 IAF SYSM Awardees
Air Marshal AK Bharti
Currently serving as the Director General of Air Operations (DGAO), Air Marshal Bharti oversaw the air campaign during Operation Sindoor, meticulously planning and directing missions that destroyed key Pakistani Air Force bases after they targeted India’s military facilities.
Commissioned in 1987 into the flying branch, he previously commanded a Sukhoi-30 MKI squadron and is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College. In 2008, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal.
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor
The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the South Western Air Command (SWAC), Kapoor once served as India’s Defence Attaché in Pakistan.
A graduate of the National Defence Academy (1985 batch), he is a veteran fighter pilot, qualified flying instructor, and fighter combat leader. Kapoor has flown all variants of the MiG-21 and the MiG-29.
He took over SWAC from Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, who has since become the Vice Chief of Air Staff.
Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari
Now the Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Tiwari was commissioned as a fighter pilot in 1986 and has logged over 3,600 flying hours. A Qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot, he is also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, USA.
From 2013 to 2016, he served as India’s Air Attache in Paris.
Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra
Currently leading the Western Air Command, Mishra’s role in Operation Sindoor was crucial, as much of the air battle unfolded in his area of responsibility.
Commissioned in 1986, he has trained at the National Defence Academy (Pune), the Air Force Test Pilots School (Bengaluru), the Air Command and Staff College (USA), and the Royal College of Defence Studies (UK). He has over 3,000 flying hours to his credit.
Not Just the Air Force — Army and Navy Officers Also Honoured
The SYSM list for Operation Sindoor isn’t exclusive to the Air Force. Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma and Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai have been named for their operational leadership against Pakistan-based terrorist groups.
The Navy, too, played a strategic role. Former Western Naval Commander Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, who retired only two weeks before the announcement, has been honoured for keeping naval forces in a high state of readiness to launch an offensive in the Arabian Sea if needed.
The Verdict
The claim that this is the first time IAF personnel have been awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal is false. The honour was first conferred on Air Marshal Vinod Patney in 2000 for his role in the Kargil War.
However, the 2025 awards are still historic in their own right — marking the first time in decades that multiple IAF officers are receiving the medal for a single operation.