Hardit Singh Malik was born on 23rd November 1894 in Rawalpindi in Punjab (modern day Pakistan). Schooled in England. Malik won a place at Balliol College, Oxford. With the coming of war, he attempted to enlist in the British Army but was twice rejected for his race. He joined the French Red Cross in 1916 as an Ambulance driver. Later his Oxford tutor secured him a place in the RFC (Royal Flying Corps) as a cadet. Malik trained at No.1 Armament School from April 1917 and was appointed a flying officer in No. 26 Squadron. He wore a turban instead of a helmet and as a result he was nicknamed the ‘Flying Sikh’ or ‘Flying Hobgoblin’
He was made Lieutenant and awarded the Flying Cross. One of only two Flying Aces from India together with Indra Roy Lal ‘Laddie’