Brigadier Mohammad Usman
Encyclopedia
Brigadier Mohammad Usman was the highest rank officer of Indian Army
killed in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
, who as a Muslim
became a "symbol of" India's "inclusive secularism". At the time of partition of India
he with many other officers declined to move to the Pakistan Army
and continued to serve the Indian Army. He died in July 1948 while fighting the raiders in Jammu and Kashmir
.
At the time of Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-48 Brigadier
Usman was posted at the Jammu and Kashmir
front as the brigade commander of the 50 Para Brigade. He led his soldiers from front and in January–February 1948 repulsed a fierce attack on Nowshera
and Jhangar, two highly strategic locations in Jammu and Kashmir. He was thence known as the Lion of Naoshera. However, he was killed in action while fighting the Pakistan Army and the tribal raiders on July 3 of that year.
An Indian journalist, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
, wrote about his death, "a precious life, of imagination and unswerving patriotism, has fallen a victim to communal fanaticism. Brigadier Usman's brave example will be an abiding source of inspiration for Free India". Brigadier Usman was awarded the Indian military honour Mahavir Chakra posthumously.
Upender Sood a film director has produced a film on life of Brigadier Usman.
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
killed in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
The India-Pakistan War of 1947-48, sometimes known as the First Kashmir War, was fought between India and Pakistan over the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu from 1947 to 1948. It was the first of four wars fought between the two newly independent nations...
, who as a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
became a "symbol of" India's "inclusive secularism". At the time of partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
he with many other officers declined to move to the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
and continued to serve the Indian Army. He died in July 1948 while fighting the raiders in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
.
At the time of Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-48 Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Usman was posted at the Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
front as the brigade commander of the 50 Para Brigade. He led his soldiers from front and in January–February 1948 repulsed a fierce attack on Nowshera
Nowshera
Nowshera - known locally as Nowkhaar is the chief city of Nowshera District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan...
and Jhangar, two highly strategic locations in Jammu and Kashmir. He was thence known as the Lion of Naoshera. However, he was killed in action while fighting the Pakistan Army and the tribal raiders on July 3 of that year.
An Indian journalist, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas , popularly known as K. A. Abbas, was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter, and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages...
, wrote about his death, "a precious life, of imagination and unswerving patriotism, has fallen a victim to communal fanaticism. Brigadier Usman's brave example will be an abiding source of inspiration for Free India". Brigadier Usman was awarded the Indian military honour Mahavir Chakra posthumously.
Upender Sood a film director has produced a film on life of Brigadier Usman.