- Those who live on their own terms, for a good cause, they never dies, they live eternal in our hearts. But only some had acheived this eternity. And Brig Mohammad Usman was one of them. The man on whom Pakistan issued prize money of worth 50,000 rupees in 1947. Military historians suggested that if he would had managed to live more then he would have been the first Indian Army Chief. He was KIA in Kashmir just 12 days before his 36 th birthday. People named him as “Naushera ka sher” after his glorious victory in Naushera.
His Early Life
- He was born in 15 july 1912. His father Md. Faruq used to do work in Banaras as Kotwal. During his childhood he used to stutter a little bit. So, his father thought that he won’t be able to make it into civil services, so he decided to let him join police. His father appointed a meeting with a police officer just to introduce him and to request a job for him. But the mere coincidence was that officer too use to stutter a little bit. And when officer exchanged few words with him, he thought that Usman is making fun of him. This incident breaks his dream to servce police. So, he decided to join Army. And he applied to Royal Military Academy Sandhust and got selected.
- He graduated on 1 feb 1934 , And was among the 10 Indians present in that batch. Sam Manekshaw and Md. Moosa was one them, who later became the Army Chief of respectively Indian Army and Pakistani Army. He acheived the post of a Brigadier when the 1947 partition started. He choosed India over a Muslim country Pakistan. He was even requested by Mohd. Ali Zinnah to change his mind, but he refused to do so.
1947 Indo Pak War
- On October 1947 Pakistan attacked Kashmir with Tribal irregulars. Until 26 October they reached the outskirts of the Srinagar. He was then posted at Naushera as a commander of the 50 Para Brigade. He wanted to push back infiltrators and make a route till Changad but the soldiers were abruptly attacked and they lost their position on 26 Nov.
- Now the next target for inflitrators was Naushera. Suddenly then Lt. Gen Cariappa make a visit to Naushera and he demaded a gift from Usman to conquer the highest point Kot . As enemies were planning to attack from that point to have a advantageous position. Kot was at a distance of 9 km from Naushera. Usman named the mission as “Keeper” , the nick name of Cariappa in Academy.
- Usman planned a two side attack with two Battalions: 3 Para & 2/2 Punjab. 2/2 Punjab attacked directly on Kot from right side and 3Para attacked from the left side . They attacked on 1 Feb 1948 at 0600 hrs and conquered at 0700 hrs. 2/2 Punjab regiment gives the signal. But they haven’t totally checked the village and some infiltrators were still hiding there, they attacked abruptly.
- But Usman was working one step further from them. He had already reserved 2 companies for emergency. We again conquered Kot at 1000 hrs. Causing enemies casualties at 156 and ours at 2.
Operation Vijay
- On 10 March 1948 he was ordered to recapture Jhangar. He named the mission as operation Vijay. Operation was planned to start at 12 March but due to rain it was delayed by two days. When we attacked them , they were cooking food in their Pakistani bunkers. We conquered Jhangar on 18 th March. Later soldiers came to know that Usman had decided on December 1947 after the conquerence of the Jhangar, that he will not sleep on bed until he will recapture it. After recapturing Jhangar soldiers arranged a bed from village, and on that day Usman finally slept on bed after December.
- On 3rd July 1948 Usman was KIA in Pakistani artillery fire. Tears were falling down from ever soldier’s eyes present there. Everybody was crying. His body was transported from Jammu to Delhi with full respect. Indians paid him tribute by a gathering of thousands on Delhi airport. His last doings were done in Jamia Milia University- Delhi. After his final doings he was announced as a achiever of Maha Vir Chakra. This greal soul just departed 12 days before his 36th birthday. He had achieved what other haven’t ever dreamt of.
