The Punjab Medal of 1849-49 was awarded to the troops of Britain and India who had taken part in the Second Sikh War. (The medal for the First Sikh War was known as the Sutlej Medal 1845-46). The Punjab medal has the head of Queen Victoria on the obverse, and on the reverse the mounted figure of Major General Sir Walter Gilbert receiving the surrender of the Sikh chiefs. A line of infantry is on the right, TO THE ARMY OF THE PUNJAB above and MDCCCXLIX (1849) at the base. There were three clasps; MOOLTAN, CHILIANWALA and GOOJERAT. The 7th Bengal Light Cavalry were issued the medal without a clasp, while most other units of the Indian Army received the medal with at least one clasp. They were issued to the Indian Army by General Order of 2 April 1849, by the Governor-General, the Earl of Dalhousie. The Queen did not sanction the award to the British Army until April 1850. It was the last time that a medal was conferred by the Government of India without the previous sanction of the home authorities.
