Traverse back to 1948. Think of the Partition and the immediate aftermath. Think of Kashmir – the then unprotected, unfenced, vulnerable valley, open to the attacks of invading Pakistani forces. Think particularly of India’s fight to get back Naushera and Jhangar from the marauders. Think of that brave figure, who, at 36, laid down his life fighting his religious brethren. Brig Mohammed Usman was only 12 days away from his 36th birthday when he laid down his life for the motherland. But in his short lifetime, he achieved more than most mortals who live twice as long or more. Brig Usman’s valour, courage and tenacity against fearful odds played a crucial role in 1948 when a new-born nation faced its first test in battle. His deeds are now part of the legends of Naushera and Jhangar.
It is probably not widely known that Brig Mohammad Usman refused high ranks in the Pakistani Army and chose to remain in his motherland. I am quite sure there will be many more like him who are true to the salt. It behoves all religious leaders to impress upon their flock that fidelity to the motherland transcends all else. We must shun all attempts to divide Indian society on the basis of religion. Pakistanis who, disguised as tribals, attacked the valley on October 22, 1947. After the incident, Maharaja Hari Singh and Sheikh Abdullah requested the Indian government to intervene. The army, under Brigadier Usman (he was one of the 18 brigadiers it had), was sent to the valley. He led his forces into a fierce battle at Naushera, which he freed, thus earning the title of Naushera Ka Sher. From there, he marched to Jhangar. And it was here the brave brigadier, who always remained in the front with his soldiers, was killed in a mortar attack.
Usman was born on 15 July 1912 at Bibipur in Azamgarh district of erstwhile United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh). His father, Kazi Mohammed Farook was a police officer and went on to become the Kotwal of the main police station in Banaras (now Varanasi). One of Farook’s two brothers, Gufran was a Brigadier in the army.
Courage came to Usman at a young age, when at the age of 12 he jumped into a well to save a drowning child. His father wanted him to join the civil services, but due to a speech defect, he tried the police service but failed as his tutor thought he was mocking him. Nevertheless, he did not give up and tried for the army. He was enlisted along with 10 other Indians in the last batch of Indian officers to pass out of Sandhurst. Among 45 cadets, he came 30th in the order of merit. Incidentally, Sam Manekshaw was three days junior to Usman as the British preferred to give seniority to the King’s Commissioned Indian Officers (KCIOs) rather than the first batch of cadets from IMA Dehradun which included Sam Manekshaw, Smith Dun and Mohammed Musa, who went on to command the armies of India, Burma and Pakistan respectively.
Usman went on for his mandatory one year attachment with a British Regiment. He was commissioned in 5/10 Baluch (Jacob’s Rifles). After some regimental and staff duties, Usman found himself with 16/10 Baluch in the Arakan (Burma) towards the end of World War II. Here, he served as the Battalion’s 2IC along with Zoru Bakshi, who later became one of the most decorated General of the Indian Army. Zoru Bakshi had led a Dogra company in attacking a hill feature in Arakan. He had recommended Usman who was officiating as the CO, the name of Bhandari Ram for the highest award of Victoria Cross. Usman’s citation was however downgraded by Lt Col LP ‘Bogey’ Sen who had just joined the battalion as the CO and was reluctant in recommending for the highest award.
But, Usman did not give up and took up the matter with the Commander 51 Brigade. It was to his credit and determination that Bhandari Lal was finally awarded the Victoria Cross. 51 Brigade formed part of 25 Indian Division, which was disbanded after the War but raised again post-Independence after Brig Usman’s sacrifice at Jhangar. Incidentally, this division is responsible for the same sector which Usman had reclaimed for the nation in 1948. After the war, the Indian Army raised two Parachute Brigades, namely 50 Para Bde and 77 Para Bde. Usman underwent the qualifying jumps at Chaklala and enlisted for Parachute duties. Brig Mohammed Usman commanded 77 Para Bde and was dispatching troops to Multan, Jacobabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi to contain the communal storm that was building up towards the partition.
Usman rose quickly to the rank of brigadier. During the splintering of the army in the wake of Partition, Usman was offered the promise of out-of-turn promotions. Everyone expected him to grab the offer. But the brigadier surprised everyone by opting to stick with India. Neither Mohammed Ali Jinnah nor Liaquat Ali Khan could convince him to have a change of heart. Such was the aura of Brig Usman that Jinnah had offered him to switch over to Pakistan promising perks and promotions and the prospect of becoming the army chief in Pakistan. Pakistani newspapers regularly carried incorrect news of his death to demoralise Indian troops many times during the war. Brigadier Mohammed Usman, one of only 18 Brigadiers in the Army at the time of Independence, was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his gallant leadership and command of 50 Para Bde at Naushera and Jhangar. It is to the credit and courage of such fine officers the country owes its freedom to. A true patriot and war hero, his name will always be enshrined in the annals of the Indian Army.
It was 5.45 pm on July 3, 1948, Jhangar near Naushera (Jammu). The sun was about to set and the brigadier, having offered his evening prayers, was holding the routine, daily meeting with his staff officers at his command post — actually, a makeshift structure rigged with the help of a few tents. A sudden burst of shelling sent them all scurrying for cover behind a rock formation. The brigadier sized up the situation and saw the enemy’s field guns to be too well-entrenched. Spotting an enemy observation post sited on an elevation, he shouted instructions for his field guns to engage the fortification while he himself attempted a dash, presumably in an effort to alert others. But as he stepped out, a shell from a 25-pounder landed almost next to him — its splinters killing him on the spot. Usman died 12 days short of his 36th birthday July 3, 1948. The funeral of Brig Usman was attended by Prime Minister Pandit JawaharLal Nehru, his cabinet colleagues and Governor General Lord Mountbatten among thousands of civilians. His body is interned at the campus of Jamia Milia University in New Delhi. No military commander in independent India, except one, has received a state funeral. Two memorials, one at Jamia Millia Islamia, the other at Naushera, stand as silent reminders of the man today—as the nation prepares to observe his one hundredth birth anniversary.
Of Usman’s heroics, former vice-chief of the army staff, Lieutenant General S.K. Sinha, then General Staff Officer to General Cariappa, recalls: “I accompanied General Cariappa to Naushera. He went round the defences and then told Brigadier Usman that Kot overlooked our defences and must be secured. Two days later, Usman mounted a successful attack against that feature. He named it Operation Kipper, the General’s nickname. A week later, over 10,000 infiltrators attacked Naushera. With Kot held by us, our boys inflicted a crushing defeat on the enemy, who retreated leaving over 900 dead. This was the biggest battle of the Kashmir war. Usman became a national hero.”
The defence of Naushera, against overwhelming odds and numbers, made him a living legend. Naushera ka Sher. The Pakistanis announced a prize of Rs 50,000 for his head, an astronomical sum in 1948. But even as congratulatory messages poured in, the brigadier remained unaffected and continued to sleep on a mat laid on the floor. He had taken a vow that he would not use a cot till he recaptured Jhangar, from where he had to withdraw earlier in the face of a fierce onslaught by the infiltrators. Jhangar was of strategic importance, located at the junction of roads coming from Mirpur and Kotli. But more compelling was his fierce pride in his men and determination to restore their honour.
On 15 March 1948, the brigadier signed an order to the “Comrades of 50 (I) Para Brigade”. It read: “Time’s come for the capture of Jhangar. It is not an easy task, but I’ve complete faith in you all to do your best to recapture the lost ground and retrieve the honour of our arms—we must not falter, we must not fail. Forward friends, fearless we go to Jhangar. India expects everyone to do his duty. Jai Hind.” Three days later, his troops recaptured Jhangar.
The Naushera sector had seen many battles between India and Pakistan. The terrain is advantageous to Pakistan in terms of troop mobilisation and logistics. Brig Usman had failed to defend Jhangar earlier; he vowed to recapture it. Till then, he didn’t sleep on a cot, but on the floor instead. Many people believed that in the battle of Naushera, where Brig Usman had his revenge, enemy casualty was about 2,000 (dead and wounded), not 900, as reports claimed. Brig Usman’s team lost only about 60 men. Brig Usman was indeed an epitome of valour, patriotism and nationalism. It is because of him that Naushera is an integral part of India today. His exceptional professional acumen, raw courage, unwavering belief, ingenuity and sense of patriotism need to be remembered forever. His steadfast loyalty to the mission and troops he commanded, exemplary courage and resoluteness against odds will continue to inspire generations of soldiers. Brig Usman made India proud, and in the annals of Indian military history his exploits will remain undimmed. The brave deeds of soldiers like Brig Usman continue to serve as a beacon to us amidst the dark deeds of corrupt politicians. What a pity we lost him at the young age of 36. But he’ll remain in our memory forever.
[ASIF AHMED is Assistant Professor at the University of Kurukshetra, teaching defence and strategic studies.]