Sardar Hardit Singh Malik CIE OBE (23 November 1894 – 31 October 1985) was an Indian civil servant and diplomat.

After graduating, he attempted to join the Royal Flying Corps with friends from university but he was denied a commission.

After he offered his services to the French air force, the Aéronautique Militaire, his Oxford tutor "Sligger" Urquhart wrote to General David Henderson, head of the RFC, and secured Malik a cadetship.

[7] After recuperating and receiving a month's leave in London, Malik rejoined his squadron in northern Italy in early 1918, where it had been assigned as part of the British forces sent to support the Italian military.

[7] Unfortunately, Malik was soon diagnosed as having an allergy to the Sopwith Camel's castor oil lubricant and was reassigned to England, where he joined the RFC, now renamed the Royal Air Force, flying the Bristol F.2 Fighter with No.

141 Squadron RAF based at Biggin Hill, alongside pilots from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Rhodesia, and Argentina.

[8] Malik returned to India following the end of the war, and in April 1919 he married Prakash Kaur.

The couple would eventually have three children, including two daughters, Harsimran and Veena (Raghavan) and a son, Harmala Singh Malik.

[9] Though initially Malik considered remaining in the RAF, he ultimately gave up the idea, as it was unlikely an Indian would be granted a permanent commission.

He returned to England to pass the examinations in 1921, joining the service in January 1922 as an assistant commissioner in Sheikhupura District.

Appearing before the committee, he played a significant role in its decision to send six Indian officer cadets to England for pilot training in 1930.

In April 1956, he was decorated as a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour by the President of France, René Coty.

In January 1975, he was promoted to the honorary rank of group captain in the Indian Air Force.