Major General Syed Mahdi Hasnain, PVSM was a former

General officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

of the Indian Army. He was the raising commanding officer of the 4th Battalion, The Garhwal Rifles. He was commissioned in the

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...

in the 1st Royal Garhwal Rifles in 1941.

Early life and education

He obtained his Master of Arts (MA) in History and LLB from the University of Lucknow.

Military career

He was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1941, as a

Second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the Royal Garhwal Battalion (now Garhwal Rifles). After commission, he participated in the Second world war, during which his battalion was deployed in the Burma campaign for the liberation of Burma from the Japanese forces. After Burma, he went with his battalion to Sumatra (Indonesia) to repulse the Japanese invasion. After the war in November 1946, his battalion was posted in Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province. In 1947 after the

Partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...

, he chose to remain in India and serve in the Indian Army, even though both his elder and younger brothers had chosen to move to Pakistan. While moving back to India, he and his battalion saved over 1000 non-Muslim refugees who were being attacked by locals and brought them safely to India. In 1959, as a

Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

, he raised the 4 Garhwal Rifles battalion and became its commanding officer. Then in 1966, he went on to raise the 115 Infantry Brigade and became its first Brigade Commander. He then commanded the Indian Army's 20 Mountain Division. In the last, he held the post of Director-General, Infantry at Army Headquarters, New Delhi till his retirement on 27 January 1972.

Children

His son Syed Ata Hasnain was also a general officer in the Indian Army. His other son, Raza, was an officer of the Indian Administrative Service, who retired early, and is working in the corporate sector.

Dates of rank

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hasnain, Syed Mahdi Indian generals Military personnel from Prayagraj Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies Indian Muslims Living people Indian Army personnel University of Lucknow alumni Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal Year of birth missing (living people)