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Vir Abdul Hamid Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 17, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1 July 1933

Age32 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceDharampur village, Ghazipur district, United Province (now Uttar Pradesh), British India

ProfessionArmy Personnel

NationalityBritish Indian (1933-1947); Indian (1947-1965)

Marital statusMarried

SpouseRasoolan Bibi

FamilySon(s): Junaid Alam, Ali Hasan (deceased), Zainul Hasan, Talat Mehmood; Daughter: Nazbun Nisha; Parents: Mohammad Usman and Sakina Begum; Siblings: 3 brothers and 2 sisters

Vir Abdul Hamid Biography

Company Quarter Master Havildar Vir Abdul Hamid was an Indian Army non-commissioned officer who fought in the 1962 Sino-Indian War and the 1965 India–Pakis

Early life and background

Vir Abdul Hamid was born on 1 July 1933 in Dharampur village in Ghazipur district, then part of the United Province under British India. He grew up in a family headed by his father Mohammad Usman, a tailor, and his mother Sakina Begum. Abdul Hamid attended primary school in Dhamupur and junior high in Deva, and his formal education reached up to the eighth grade. Raised in a Muslim household, he came from a family that included three brothers and two sisters.

Abdul Hamid married Rasoolan Bibi in 1947 and became a father to five children: four sons—Junaid Alam, Ali Hasan (who later died of COVID-19), Zainul Hasan, and Talat Mehmood—and a daughter, Nazbun Nisha. Two of his sons, Zainul Hasan and Talat Mehmood, served in the Indian Army.

Military career

Driven from childhood by a desire to serve, Abdul Hamid joined the Indian Army after taking part in a recruitment rally in Varanasi. He completed his training in 1955 at the Grenadier Regimental Centre and was posted to the 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Regiment. He wore the service number 2639985 and rose to the rank of Company Quarter Master Havildar during a decade of service from 1955 until his death in 1965.

Abdul Hamid saw action in the 1962 Sino-Indian War as part of India’s 7th Mountain Division. His unit defended the Namka Chu sector in the northeast, an engagement that ended in withdrawal under difficult conditions and left him frustrated by the outcome. After the 1962 conflict, his battalion moved to Ambala and he was promoted to Havildar and later trained on the newly acquired 106 mm recoilless (RCL) guns as part of India’s re-armament program. He was subsequently transferred from the rifle company to the anti-tank detachment of 4 Grenadiers.

Battle of Asal Uttar and final actions

In September 1965, during the India–Pakistan war, Abdul Hamid and 4 Grenadiers were deployed to the Khem Karan sector in Punjab to defend the Cheema area. Shortages of trained anti-tank commanders led to his appointment as commander of a squadron of RCL-mounted jeeps. Using the cover of tall sugarcane fields, his detachment engaged Pakistani armored columns equipped with Patton tanks.

Over the course of 8–10 September 1965, Abdul Hamid was credited with destroying multiple enemy tanks. On 8 and 9 September he repeatedly engaged advancing tanks, destroying several and capturing others, actions for which his superiors recommended him for the Param Vir Chakra. On 10 September, while continuing to engage a large armored thrust, his RCL jeep was struck by enemy fire after he had successfully hit an enemy tank. He was killed in action on 10 September 1965 at Khem Karan, Tarn Taran district, Punjab. Accounts of his last engagement credit him with the destruction of multiple Patton tanks before he was mortally wounded.

Awards and legacy

Abdul Hamid was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration for gallantry. During his service he had also been awarded the Samar Seva Star, Raksha Medal, and Sainya Seva Medal. His actions at Asal Uttar contributed to the battalion receiving the Battle Honour of Asal Uttar and the Theatre Honour for Punjab.

In recognition of his sacrifice, several memorials and commemorations have been established: a mazar at Asal Uttar village, a memorial at his hometown of Dharampur, and a bust installed by the Indian Army at the Jodhpur military station. The Army Postal Service Corps issued a postal cover in his memory on 10 September 1979, and the Government of India released commemorative stamps on 26 January 2000. On 10 September 2017, a memorial in his honor at Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, was inaugurated.

Public profile

Abdul Hamid’s actions during the 1965 war have been commemorated in military and educational sources. A chapter in the NCERT textbooks is dedicated to him, and his RCL jeep and other tributes have been preserved as reminders of his role in the Battle of Asal Uttar.

Latest updates

Posthumous recognitions and physical memorials continue to mark Abdul Hamid’s contribution to India’s military history. His hometown and regimental records maintain memorials and plaques that recount the events of his last battle and the honors awarded to him.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Vir Abdul Hamid, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Career Highlights

  1. Served in the Indian Army (1955–1965) with 4th Battalion, The Grenadiers
  2. Fought in the 1962 Sino-Indian War and the 1965 India–Pakistan War
  3. Commanded an anti-tank RCL jeep detachment during the Battle of Asal Uttar
  4. Posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra
  5. Multiple memorials, postal covers and commemorative stamps issued in his honour
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Vir Abdul Hamid born?

Vir Abdul Hamid was born on 1 July 1933.

What is Vir Abdul Hamid known for?

Vir Abdul Hamid is known for army Personnel.

What is Vir Abdul Hamid’s marital status?

Vir Abdul Hamid's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Vir Abdul Hamid married to?

Vir Abdul Hamid is publicly listed as married to Rasoolan Bibi.