Khudadad Khan

Subedar Khudadad Khan VC was a British Indian Army soldier and the first South Asian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

On 31 October 1914, during the First World War at Hollebeke, Belgium, while serving with the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, Khan performed the legendary act of bravery that secured his place in military history. Despite being severely wounded and with his machine-gun section overrun, he continued to man his gun alone until it was put out of action, preventing a critical German breakthrough.

His gallantry during the First Battle of Ypres was widely celebrated, and his actions became an enduring symbol of the vital contributions made by Indian soldiers on the Western Front. After surviving the war, he retired as a Subedar and lived a quiet life, revered as a pioneering military hero.