Thread by @sheshapatangi1

His last words were "I am dying but let not the territory we were fighting for fall for the enemy". For his inspiring leadership and great courage, he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously
#BrigadierMohammadUsman was the highest ranking officer of the Indian Army killed

in action during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.
Pakistani forces had announced a sum of Rs 50,000 as a prize for his head. Unaffected by praise and congratulations, Usman continued to sleep on a mat laid on the floor as he had vowed that he would not sleep on a bed till he

recaptured Jhangar, from where he had had to withdraw in late 1947.
Usman was born on this day in 1912.
He entered Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) in 1932 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant & on the 19 March 1935, he was appointed to the Indian Army and posted

to the 5th battalion of the 10th Baluch Regiment. Usman by April 1944, rose in ranks and became a temporary Major. He served in Burma and was mentioned in dispatches as a temporary Major in the London Gazette 27 September 1945. He commanded the 14th battalion of the 10th

Baluch Regiment from April 1945 to April 1946.

During the partition of India, Usman, being a Muslim officer in the Baluch Reg, was under intense pressure from the Pakistani leadership to opt for the Pakistan Army. However, despite the fact he was promised a future position as

the Pak Army Chief, he chose Indian Army. When the Baluch Regiment was allotted to Pakistan, Usman was transferred to the Dogra Regiment.
On 25 December 1947, with the odds stacked heavily against the brigade, Pakistani forces captured strategically important post of Jhangar.

On that day Usman took a vow to recapture Jhangar – a feat he accomplished three months later, but at the cost of his own life.
In January–February 1948 Usman repulsed fierce attacks on Nowshera and Jhangar, both highly strategic locations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian forces

inflicted around 2000 casualties on the Pakistanis (about 1000 dead and 1000 wounded) while Indian forces suffered only 33 dead and 102 wounded.
His defence earned him the nickname 'Lion of Nowshera'. It was during this defence of Jhangar that Usman was killed on July 3, 1948,

by an enemy 25-pounder shell.
Nehru and his Cabinet colleagues attended the funeral of Usman. He was given a state funeral of a martyr. He was later awarded the second highest military decoration for gallantry in the face of enemy, the Maha Vir Chakra.
Usman should’ve become

the symbol of India's "inclusive secularism", instead the ecosystem hails Aurangzeb and Tipu.
Biggest irony is Brigadier Usman’s grave is situated near the Jamia Millia Islamia campus in New Delhi, which is hotbed for terror activities apart from JNU.

Couple of years ago, Brigadiers Grave was badly damaged by Miscreants and Army restored it.
#JAIHIND
#ForgottenHeroes
#VANDEMATARAM