Udham Singh – Indian revolutionary who shot Michael O’ Dwyer

Udham Singh (1899 – 1940) was a revolutionary and freedom fighter from Punjab, known as a martyr of India’s freedom struggle movement. He assassinated Michael O’ Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in London in 1940 as revenge to Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He was an active member of Ghadar Party which was involved with organising Indians outside the country against colonial power. He was arrested, tried in Britain and given death sentence. He was 40 years when he became a martyr.

Udham Singh hailed from Sunam in the Sangrur district of Punjab. He lost both his parents at a younger age, and he along with his brother who turned orphans were sent to an orphanage in Amritsar. His father worked as a watchman in a railway crossing. While at orphanage Udham Singh studied and completed matriculation. He lost his brother at orphanage one year prior to it. Very soon he left the orphanage, exactly the same year when Jallianwala Bagh massacre happened. The tragedy deeply influenced young Udham and he turned a revolutionary.

Since 1924 he has been associated with different activities of Ghadar Party till he murdered Michael O’ Dwyer at London. He directly shot him twice with his revolver in a public meeting where Dwyer was to deliver a speech, and got caught soon after it was done. He never repented over his act and sacrificed his life as a brave heart for his mother nation. Singh was hanged at Pentonville Prison.

Udham Singh – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. He is also called as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh, which means great martyr. He called himself ‘Ram Mohammad Singh Azad’, representing three major religions of Punjab region.

2. His real name was Sher Singh, and he took the name Udham Singh while he was at orphanage, deeply influenced by Sikhism.

3. He lost his single brother in 1917, at the age of 18. He had already lost his parents in childhood, and then spent his younger days in an orphanage. He passed matriculation the following year, while at orphanage.

4. After his death, in his dairy notes written in 1939 and 1940, he has used O’Dwyer’s surname as “O’Dyer” occasionally. So there is a chance that he might have confused with the surnames of two British officials. O’Dwyer and O’Dyer sound same. Though O’Dyer was the person behind Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Udham killed Michael O’ Dwyer as revenge for the same case.

5. Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand was named after him. There are many charity organizations and one museum named after him.

6. His mortal remains were brought to India in 1974, and the casket was received by Indira Gandhi, Shankar Dayal Sharma and Zail Singh. He was cremated in his birth place, and some of his ashes are kept inside a sealed urn at Jallianwala Bagh.

7. 31 July (the day which he was executed) is a public holiday in Punjab and Haryana.