Order of Merit "KMS", and the Order of Artistic Merit for Knights of Merit in Art, with the post-nominal letters "KMA". However, Sir Frederic Leighton, President of the Royal Academy, advised against the new order, primarily because of its selection process. Victoria's son, King Edward VII, eventually founded the Order of Merit on 26 June 1902 (the date for which his coronation had been originally planned) as a means to acknowledge "exceptionally meritorious service in Our Navy and Our Army, or who may have rendered exceptionally meritorious service towards the advancement of Art, Literature and Science". All modern aspects of the order were
Indian Order of Merit To be obtained by those who already possess the third and for similar services. Eight pointed gold star with blue circle, surrounded by gold laurels in the middle, with crossed swords and the words "Awarded for Valour", this was changed to "Awarded for Gallantry" in 1944. To be obtained in like manner only by those who possess the third and second classes. Dark Blue ribbon flanked by two red stripes of about a sixth of the width. Indian Order of Merit The Indian Order of Merit (IOM) was a military and civilian decoration of British India. It was established in