India High Altitude Medal ribbons

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Everyone,

The Indian High Altitude or Ucchh Tungta Medal 1986 has two different variations of ribbon. One is made of cloth and the other is paper. According to very little research on my part and a lot of research on Ed Hayne's part (http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/indmed.html) I found out that the cloth version was very expensive to manufacture and they went to a cheaper and easier to produce paper version. This "paper" is quite tough much like some paper currency in use around the world as well as some parking tickets (which I just found out about as well).

I was recently able to get my hands on a piece of the cloth version and thought that I would share a couple of photos with the members of these two different versions. The colour of the paper one is a lot darker blue. I'm not sure if this is common but there is a lot of difference in the two ribbons I have. I've taken a photo of the back of the ribbons as well.

Does anyone know if this is unique to the High Altitude Medal or is there other paper ribbons used in other countries. I found it quite interesting to find out that paper was used.

Many thanks to Ed for all of his work. I would be completely ignorant of India and Pakistan medals without his efforts.

Cheers

Brian

[Brian Wolfe]

Oops, I forgot to add the photos

[Brian Wolfe]

Here is the reverse of the ribbons.

Brian

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice post. Thanks, Brian.

This is all addressed in rather more detail in a book that, if I am lucky, I shall hold in my hands before I die. A long and nasty tale . . . .

Never seen a mounted group with the plastic-cloth ribbon. Always poaper. Another pretty idea that was unworkable.

[David S]

I always knew that there WAS a cloth ribbon instead of the tack coated paper

Thanks for showing

[Brian Wolfe]

I always knew that there WAS a cloth ribbon instead of the tack coated paper

Thanks for showing

I was also aware of this but never figured I'd run on to one. A friend sent me some ribbons that I needed and the cloth one was in the pack. I knew a High Altitude Service ribbon was coming but expected the paper version.

Cheers

Brian