Udham Singh

• Udham Singh is one of the foremost figures of the Indian independence movement.

• He is also referred to as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh.

• He is known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab in India. It was during Michael O'Dwyer's tenure as Punjab's Lieutenant Governor that the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred in Amritsar on 13 April 1919.

• Udham Singh was born as Sher Singh on 26 December 1899 at Sunam, Sangrur district of Punjab, India. He lost both his parents at a young age. He along with his brother was bought up in an orphanage in Amritsar. At the orphanage, he received the name of Udham Singh.

• He passed his matriculation examination in 1918 and left the orphanage in 1919.

• On the day of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Udham Singh and his friends from the orphanage were serving water to the crowd. He witnessed the killing of several hundred innocent people as under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer opened fire on the crowd.

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was a turning point in his life, and he resolved to take revenge. After this incident, Udham Singh became involved in revolutionary politics. He was deeply influenced by Bhagat Singh and his revolutionary group.

• In 1924, Udham Singh became involved with the Ghadar Party. He went to the USA to organizing Indians overseas towards overthrowing colonial rule.

• In 1927, he returned to India with revolvers and ammunition. Soon after reaching India, he was arrested for possession of unlicensed arms. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

• In 1931, Udham Singh was released from Jail and he was able to evade the police and escape to Germany. In 1934, he reached London, where he found employment as an engineer.

• On 13 March 1940, Michael O'Dwyer was scheduled to speak at a joint meeting of the East India Association and the Central Asian Society at Caxton Hall, London. Singh concealed a revolver inside a book. As the meeting concluded, Udham Singh shot O'Dwyer twice. Singh surrendered immediately after the shooting.

• While in custody, he used the name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, which represents the three major religions of Punjab and his anti-colonial sentiment.

• Udham Singh was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On 31 July 1940, Singh was hanged at Pentonville Prison. Udham Singh was 40 at that time. His remains are preserved at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab.