Kaiser-i-Hind Medal
| Kaisar-i-Hind Medal | |
|---|---|
Representations of the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals. George V, second type
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| Awarded by Emperor of India | |
| Country | British Empire |
| Type | civil decoration |
| Eligibility | civilians of any nationality |
| Awarded for | distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British Raj |
| 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 |
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The Kaisar-i-Hind Medal for Public Service in India was a medal awarded by the British monarch between 1900 and 1947, to "any person without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex ... who shall have distinguished himself (or herself) by important and useful service in the advancement of the public interest in India."
The name literally means "Emperor of India" in the vernacular of the Hindi and Urdu languages. The word kaisar, meaning "emperor" is a derivative of the Roman imperial title Caesar (via Persian, Turkish - see Kaiser-i-Rum - and the Greek Καίσαρ), and is cognate with the German title Kaiser, which was borrowed from the Latin at an earlier date.
Kaisar-I-Hind was also inscribed on the obverse side of the India General Service Medal (1909).
Empress of India or Kaisar-i-Hind, a form coined by the orientalist G.W. Leitner in a deliberate attempt to dissociate British imperial rule from that of preceding dynasties was taken by Queen Victoria from 1 May 1876, and proclaimed at the Delhi Durbar of 1877.
The medal was instituted by Queen Victoria on April 10, 1900. The name translates as "Emperor of India", a name also used for a rare Indian butterfly Teinopalpus imperialis. The Royal Warrant for the Kaisar-i-Hind was amended in 1901, 1912, 1933 and 1939. While never officially rescinded, the Kaisar-i-Hind ceased to be awarded following the passage of the Indian Independence Act 1947. The awards of the gold medal were often published in the London Gazette, while other classes were published in the Gazette of India.
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