Shimla, Jan 1- George Cross winner Kirpa Ram's widow Brahmi Devi, who is now fighting to get his stolen medal back to India, has received New Year's greetings from the Britain-based Victoria Cross and George Cross Association.

Wizened Brahmi Devi, 77, the widow of a pre-independence Indian soldier, is happy with the gesture of the association.

"It's a great gesture of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association that it has acknowledged the bravery of my late husband. I got the greeting card from the association early this week," Brahmi Devi told IANS on phone from her home in Bilaspur district, some 150 from here.

George Cross is a gallantry award considered the civilian counterpart of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military decoration.

Naik Kirpa Ram was awarded the George Cross for sacrificing his life to save his comrades while disposing of a misfired rifle grenade at a camp in Bangalore Sep 12, 1945.

Brahmi Devi received the medal on her husband's behalf from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Lord Wavell, in 1946.

"This was for the first time that I got the greetings from the association. This means now I am not alone in my battle for getting the medal back," said Brahmi Devi, who is living in abject poverty.

The medal was allegedly stolen from Brahmi Devi's house in 2002.

She had reported the theft Feb 3, 2002. However, police closed the case after a few years as the medal could not be traced.

The medal was listed for auction last month at Britain's leading auction house Dix Noonan Webb.

But following an outcry over the theft, the current owner of the medal, Ashok Nath, withdrew it from the auction.

"Now, I am pinning my hopes on the association to convince Ashok Nath to return the last remembrance of my husband," Brahmi Devi said, who was widowed when she was just 13.

"I will also seek the help of the association in this regard."

The New Year greeting card has photographs of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, the patron and the president of the association respectively. (IANS)