Kaisar-i-Hind Medal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kaisar-i-Hind Medal for Public Service in India
Representations of the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals (George V – second type)
Country	British Empire
Type	Civil decoration
Eligibility	Civilians of any nationality
Awarded for	Persons considered to have done some public service worthy of recognition by Government
Campaign(s)	Dormant since 1947
Statistics
Established	10 April 1900
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of British India
Next (lower)	Order of St John
Ribbon of Kaisar-i-Hind Medal

The Kaisar-i-Hind Medal for Public Service in India was a special award given by the Emperor or Empress of India. It was awarded between 1900 and 1947. This medal honored people who had done "important and useful service" for the public in India. Anyone could receive it, no matter their background, job, or gender.

The name "Kaisar-i-Hind" means "Emperor of India" in the Hindustani language. The word kaisar comes from the Roman title Caesar. It is also related to the German word Kaiser, which also means emperor. The title Kaisar-i-Hind was created in 1876 by a scholar named Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner. It became the official title for the British monarch in India. The last ruler to use this title was George VI.

The name Kaisar-i-Hind was also written on other medals, like the India General Service Medal (1909).

How the Medal Started

The title Kaisar-i-Hind was first used by Queen Victoria starting May 1, 1876. This was announced at a big event in Delhi in 1877. The scholar Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner created the term. He wanted to show that British rule was different from earlier rulers in India.

Queen Victoria officially created the medal on April 10, 1900. The name "Kaisar-i-Hind" also refers to a rare Indian butterfly. The rules for the medal were updated several times over the years. The medal stopped being awarded after India became independent in 1947. Awards of the gold medal were often announced in the London Gazette. Other medals were announced in the Gazette of India.

What the Medal Looked Like

The Kaisar-i-Hind medal came in three levels: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The monarch directly awarded the Gold Medal. The Viceroy, who was the British ruler's representative in India, awarded the Silver and Bronze medals.

The medal was oval-shaped. On one side, it had the monarch's special symbol and image. On the other side, it said "Kaisar-i-Hind for Public Service in India." People wore the medal on their left chest, hanging from a dark blue ribbon.

One of the most famous people to receive this medal was Mohandas Gandhi. He received the Gold Medal in 1915 for his work with ambulance services in South Africa. However, Gandhi later returned his medal in 1920. He did this as part of a large protest movement in India.

People Who Received the Medal

Many people received the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal for their important work in India. Here are some of them:

• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: Received the Gold Medal in 1915 for his ambulance services in South Africa. He returned it in 1920.
• Cornelia Sorabji: Received the Gold Medal with a Bar (meaning she got it twice). She was the first female lawyer in India.
• Dr. Lucia Navamani Virasinghe-Chinnappa: Awarded the Medal in 1937 and a Bar in 1941. She was a pioneer in maternity and child health in India.
• Margaret Ida Balfour: A Scottish doctor who worked to improve women's medical health.
• Mary Ronald Bisset: Another Scottish doctor and missionary who helped women's health.
• Florence Mary Macnaghten: A British-Scottish nurse who helped with earthquake relief in 1905.
• Richard Burn: Received the Gold Medal for his work during famines in 1907–08.
• The Lady Curzon of Kedleston: Honored for her service to British interests in India.
• Very Rev John A. Graham: Recognized for his service to British interests in India.
• Hakim Ajmal Khan: A physician and one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia University.
• Isabel Kerr: A Scottish medical missionary who worked to cure leprosy across India.
• Elizabeth Adelaide Manning: Awarded the medal in 1904 for her public service.
• Miss Eleanor McDougall: Received the Gold Medal in 1923 for her work as Principal of the Women's Christian College, Madras.
• Sarojini Naidu: Received the Gold Medal for organizing flood relief work in Hyderabad. She later returned it to protest the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
• Amina Hydari: A social worker who helped organize flood relief during the Musi floods in Hyderabad.
• Vidyagauri Nilkanth: A social reformer, educator, and writer.
• Dr John David O′Donnell: Chief Medical and Sanitary Officer in the Kolar Gold Fields.
• Mary Reed (missionary): Received the medal in 1917 for her missionary work with people suffering from leprosy.
• Raja Ravi Verma: A famous Indian painter, recognized for his public service.
• Kheroth Bose: A medical missionary who brought healthcare to rural India.
• Sita Devi Sahiba: A princess from Kapurthala.
• Alice Headwards-Hunter: A surgeon.
• Dr Mina MacKenzie: A medical doctor who served for over 30 years, including helping control a cholera outbreak.
• Clare Spurgin: Recognized for setting up a hospital for the wives of Indian Army soldiers.
• Helen Vorley: Honored for helping evacuate 300,000 Indians from Burma in 1942.
• Sir William James Wanless: Recognized for his distinguished service.
• Clara Anne Williams: Received the Bronze Medal in 1946 for her Red Cross work during WWII.
• Pandita Ramabai: A social reformer, recognized for her distinguished service.
• Dr Howard Somervell: An OBE recipient, recognized for his distinguished service.
• R. S. Subbalakshmi: An educationist and social worker who worked to uplift child widows.
• Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visveswaraiah: A famous Indian engineer and statesman.
• Charlotte Viall Wiser: A nutritionist and missionary, co-author of Behind Mud Walls.
• Mona Chandravati Gupta: A social worker and educator who founded an organization for women's upliftment.
• Silverine Swer: A Khasi environmental and social activist.

See also

• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations