| Sainya Seva Medal | |
|---|---|
 Ribbon of the medal | |
| Type | Service medal |
| Awarded for | Non-operational service under hardship conditions in severe climate. |
| Presented by |  India |
| Clasps | Jammu and Kashmir NEFA Himalaya Bengal-Assam Andaman and Nicobar Marusthal |
| Established | 1960 |
| Order of Wear | |
| Next (higher) |  Operation Parakram Medal[1] |
| Next (lower) |  High Altitude Medal[1] |
TheSainya Seva Medal is a medal of theIndian Armed Forces. The medal is awarded in recognition of non-operational service under conditions of hardship and severe climate in specified areas.[2]
The Sainya Seva Medal was instituted on 26 January 1960 by theGovernment of India, with the approval of thePresident of India. Five other medals were instituted on the same day - the Vishisht Seva Medal series (Class I, Class II, Class III),[3] theVidesh Seva Medal,Sena Medal,Nao Sena Medal and theVayu Sena Medal.[4]
The Sainya Seva Medal is awarded for an aggregate of one year non-operational service in a defined geographic area. These areas are considered to have hardship conditions and severe climates. The medal is always awarded with a clasp. An individual qualifying for the medal for the first time shall be awarded the medal, together with a clasp on which shall be inscribed the place where the service was rendered. Subsequent awards of the medal will only result in being awarded the clasp indicating the place where the service was rendered.[5]
The medal may be awarded to commissioned officers, junior commissioned officers, other ranks, and Non-Combatants (enrolled) of the regular Army. Auxiliary, Reserve Forces, Nursing Officers, and other members of Nursing Services or any other lawfully constituted Armed Forces (such as police forces and central armed police forces)may also be awarded the medal.[5]
The Sainya Seva Medal is awarded with the following clasps:[2]
Instituted 2 June 1960 and amended in 1967 and 1973, the clasp is awarded for an aggregate of one year of service inJammu and Kashmir since 27 October 1947. Air force personnel may be eligible for award if they have carried out a minimum of ten sorties or forty hours of flying after 27 October 1947. Service used to qualify for theGeneral Service Medal 1947 or for the Himalaya clasp will not be counted towards the Jammu and Kashmir clasp. The clasp bears inscriptionजम्मूकश्मीर separated by an image of achinar leaf.
Instituted 2 June 1960 and amended in 1966 and 1973, the clasp is awarded for an aggregate of one year of service in theNorth-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) employed in the construction of roads and airfields between 7 October 1952 and 15 November 1958. The clasp is also awarded to those personnel seconded to theAssam Rifles who complete an aggregate of one year of service in NEFA after 15 August 1947, and Air Force personnel who carried out a minimum of ten sorties or forty hours of flying after 7 October 1952. Service used to qualify for the Himalaya clasp will not be counted towards this clasp. The clasp bears a design like a horizontal stalk of bamboo withने फ़ा engraved upon it.
Instituted 2 June 1960 and amended in 1964 and 1966, the clasp is awarded for an aggregate of one year of service in the defence of the northern in areas in the Himalayas. This roughly corresponds to portions of NEFA, and the Tibet borders ofLadakh,Uttarakhand andSikkim. Air Force personnel must have carried out a minimum of ten sorties or forty hours of flying in areas and time periods specified to be eligible for award. The clasps bears the wordहिमालय separated in the middle by a depiction of apine tree. This clasp has not been awarded since 1986, with qualifying service now being recognized by theHigh Altitude Service Medal.
Instituted 2 June 1960 and amended in 1967, the clasp is awarded for an aggregate of one year of service in specified areas ofWest Bengal andAssam after 26 October 1962. For flying personnel qualifying service is 10 sorties or 40 hours of flying over the specified areas of West Bengal and Assam after 26 October 1962. The clasp is plain with the wordsबंगाल andअसम separated by a dash.
Instituted 2 June 1960 and amended in 1967, the clasp is awarded for an aggregate of one year of service in theAndaman and Nicobar Islands after 20 May 1966. Flying personnel may qualify by completing 50 hours of flying in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands after 20 May 1966. The clasp bears the inscriptionअण्डमान और निकोबार withlotus flowers on either side.
Instituted 20 July 1984, the clasp is awarded for an aggregate of one year of service in qualifying desert areas ofGujarat andRajasthan. Flying personnel may qualify by completing 10 sorties or 40 hours of flying over specified areas. The clasp is plain with the inscriptionमरुस्थल.
Instituted in the year 2017, through Gazette notification byGovernment of India, all personnel ofIndian Navy who have rendered cumulative 6 (six) years of sea service for anti-piracy operations, seaward defence, coastal patrolling, deployment etc. qualify for wearing Sainya Seva Medal.
The Sainya Seva Medal is circular in shape, made of cupro-nickel, 35 mm (1.4 in) in diameter. The medal hangs from straight suspension bar, to which the clasps are mounted. Theobverse depictsNanda Devi with bamboo in the foreground. The reverse depicts one of the gates ofPurana Qila. Above is inscribed the words Sainya Seva Medal in Hindi script. The ribbon of the medal issaffron in color 32 mm (1.3 in). There is a single vertical stripe of white and another of dark green dividing which divides the ribbon equally in to three parts.[2]
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