The India General Service Medal (1854 IGSM) was a campaign medal

Medal

A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...

 approved in 1854, for issue to officers and men of the British

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

 and Indian

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

 armies.

The 1854 IGSM was approved on 1 March 1854. It was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India, during 1852 to 1895. Each battle or action covered by the medal was represented by a clasp on the ribbon; 24 were sanctioned, the maximum awarded to one man is thought to be seven. The medal was never issued without a clasp.

The medal was initially awarded in silver to all ranks, regardless of race or branch of service. However, starting from 1885 (with the Burma 1885–7 bar) both medal and clasp were issued in bronze to native support personnel such as bearers, sweepers, and drivers.

Clasps

• Pegu
• Persia
• North West Frontier
• Umbeyla
  Umbeyla Campaign
  The Umbeyla Campaign was one of numerous expeditions led by British forces in the North-West Frontier Province; this campaign was against local Hindustani Pashtuns and Bunerwals of British India. The local Pashtuns were vehemently opposed to British colonial rule and frequently attacked British...
  
  
• Bhootan
• Looshai
• Perak
  Perak War
  The Perak War took place between British and local forces in Perak, a state in northwestern Malaysia. The sultan of Upper Perak and other local chiefs attempted to end foreign influence in the region and remove the British administrator James W.W. Birch...
  
  
• Jowaki 1877–78
• Naga 1879–80
• Burma 1885–87
• Sikkim 1888
• Hazara 1888
• Burma 1887–89
• Chin Lushai 1889–90
• Lushai 1889–92
• Samana 1891
• Hazara 1891
• NE Frontier 1891
• Hunza 1891
• Burma 1889–92
• Chin Hills 1892–93
• Kachin Hills 1892–93
• Waziristan 1894–95