[3] He was later awarded the second highest Indian military decoration for gallantry in the face of enemy, the Maha Vir Chakra.

[9] Usman and his younger brothers, Subhan and Gufran, were educated at Harish Chandra Bhai School, Varanasi.

[10] Usman later made up his mind to join the Army, and despite the limited opportunities for Indians to get commissioned ranks and despite intense competition, he succeeded in gaining admission to the prestigious Royal Military College, Sandhurst (RMC).

He entered RMC in 1932, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and appointed to the Unattached List for the Indian Army on 1 February 1934.

[citation needed] Usman was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 April 1936 and Captain on 31 August 1941.

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.

[20] In January–February 1948 Usman repulsed fierce attacks on Nowshera and Jhangar, both highly strategic locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

[22] Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Cabinet colleagues attended the funeral of Usman — "the highest ranking military commander till date" to lay down his life in the battlefield.

[23][4] An Indian journalist, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, wrote about his death, "a precious life, of imagination and unswerving patriotism, has fallen a victim to communal fanaticism.

[3][27] In 2020, photos of the grave's defaced headstone were widely circulated and triggered outrage on social media.