New Delhi: A new book on the life and times of Brigadier Mohd Usman, who laid down his life on this day in the 1947-48 India-Pakistan war, after leading from the front in the fierce battle of Naushera, will hit the stands on July 17, announced publishing house Bloomsbury India on Thursday.
“The Lion of Naushera”, based on the moniker earned by Brigadier Usman for his heroics in the battle of Naushera in Jammu and Kashmir, gives readers an account of the patriotic young man who foiled Pakistani incursions in Kashmir.
It is written by authors Ziya Us Salam and Anand Mishra.
“While some heroes have been duly and gratefully feted, others have not always got their due. The ‘Lion of Naushera’ is an attempt to clear some of the debts we owe to Brigadier Usman.”
“Not only does it tell the story of the brave soldier, it also presents a multifaceted narrative of India — of how people of all faiths, castes and regions fought for the independence of the country and protected its borders,” said the publisher in a statement.
Brigadier Usman was responsible for the recapture of Jhangar and Naushera in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1947-48 war. The gallant officer laid down his life on July 3, 1948 at Naushera, 12 days shy of his 36th birthday. His grave is located in a cemetery near Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia.
The government awarded him with a Maha Vir Chakra posthumously. He was also given a state funeral, which was attended by the then governor general Lord Mountbatten, former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former union ministers Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and former chief minister of J&K Sheikh Abdullah.
