Gurmukh Singh Saini

Who is Gurmukh Singh Saini?

Gurmukh Singh Saini, a Sikh soldier from the village Gadram Badi of Ropar in district Ambala of the province of Punjab in British India, won the Indian Order of Merit 1st Class in World War I for splendid courage on the battlefield on the night of March 1, 1916. He was also awarded the Cross of St. George, being Imperial Russia's highest exclusively military award for gallantry in the face of enemy, it held the same value and honor as the British Victoria Cross, US Medal of Honor, or French Legion of Honor. The order was awarded to officers and generals for special gallantry, such as, personally leading his troops in rout of a superior enemy force, or capturing a fortress, etc. The Cross of St. George was an extension of the Order of St. George for non-commissioned officers, and like it Cross of St. George was awarded in four classes and only for extreme bravery in face of the enemy.