Legion of Merit

The President of United States conferred the Legion of Merit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister has been awarded for his steadfast leadership and vision for India’s emergence as a global power. The award was received by the Ambassador of India to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu on behalf of the Prime Minister.

About Legion of Merit

The Legion of Merit is a military award of the United States. It is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements, loyalty. It is issued to the eight uniformed services of the United States and also to the Heads of foreign Governments. It is one of the two United States military decorations that is issued as a neck let. The other is Medal of Honour. Neck let is a type of decoration designed to be worn and displayed around the neck of the person. The standard practice is to hung the medal from the chest.

The Legion of Merit is the seventh in the order of precedence of all the United States military awards.

Quad countries

In 2020, the Legion of Merit was also awarded to the Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison, former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. In short it was awarded to the QUAD Architects. The QUAD dialogue gained greater importance after China aggravated its dispute

• With Japan over Senkaku Islands
• With India on the north banks of Pangong Tso in Ladakh
• imposing trade sanctions over Australia
• testing nuclear missiles during US Naval Exercises in the South China Sea

Other Indian Winners of Legion of Merit

General Satyawant Mallana Srinagesh of Indian Army was awarded with the Legion of Merit in 1955. The Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was awarded with the Legion of Merit in 1950. Cariappa was the first Indian Commander in Chief of the Indian Army. He is the one of the only two Indian Army officers to hold the Five-star rank of field marshal. The other is Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

In India, the Army Day is celebrated on January 15 in recognition of Field Marshal Cariappa’s taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2020