Malik Umar Hayat Khan, a Muslim Rajput, was born at Megha in the Punjab, on 5 Oct 1874. He was from the aristocratic Tiwana family of Shahpur who were the largest landowners in the Punjab. His father was Sir Malik Sahib Khan from Khushab. Young Malik joined the 18th Bengal Lancers in 1901 with the rank of Honorary Lieutenant. When trouble flared up in Somaliland he was appointed Commandant of the No.54 Camel Cadre which accompanied a contingent from India. He served there from 1902 to 03. He then went to Tibet in 1903 and was mentioned in despatches. At the Delhi Durbar of 1911, with the rank of Honorary Captain, he was given the position of Assistant Herald for which he was required to wear a thick surcoat bearing the Royal Arms of Great Britain.
In the First World War he served with the regiment and was mentioned in despatches six times. After the war he was in Afghanistan in 1919. He remained an officer in the regiment after amalgamation in 1921 but was also active in running the large family estates and serving on the Governor-General’s Imperial Council. He reached the rank of Major-General in 1935 and was Honorary Colonel of the 19th KGO Lancers. He was married, and his son Malik was the last Premier of the Punjab. Sir Malik spent the early 1930s in London, living at 10 Prince Albert Road, Regent’s Park. He died on 24 March 1944.
The photo from the National Army Museum collection shows him in 1911 wearing the scarlet full dress of the 18th KGO Lancers. He has a gold cord aiguillette on his left shoulder to signify his post as ADC to King George V. The cords partially conceal his medals which include the CIE (Companion of the Indian Empire). Later that year he was appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) and in 1919 he was awarded the CBE.
