Remembering 'Udham Singh' on his birth anniversary

Udham Singh was born on the 26th of December 1899 in Sunam, Sangrur district, Punjab. The people of his village used to call him 'Sher Singh'.

Udham Singh's father used to work as a watchman at a railway crossing. His mother was a homemaker who raised young Udham and his siblings. However, tragedy struck soon and young Udham lost both parents at a very young age. His father passed away in 1901 and his mother passed away in the year 1907; six years later. He and his brother, Mukta had to take refuge in an orphanage in Amritsar.

Everything seemed fine when Uddham's brother Mukta passed away in 1917. Young Udham Singh was left all alone amidst the political turmoil in Punjab.

Udham Singh's Ideology

Udham Singh was highly inspired by Bhagat Singh and his anti-imperialist activities. In 1935, he was detained in Kashmir with a picture of Bhagat Singh. With this, he was looked upon as a disciple of Bhagat Singh.

Udham Singh was a big fan of patriotic songs. Revolutionary poet Ram Prasad Bismil and his patriotic poems were his favorite.

Udham Singh's Story

In 1919, British troops opened fire on innocent people at Jallianwala Bagh. This unfortunate incident killed a lot of innocent people including women and children. This horrific incident was witnessed by Udham Singh himself which left him shocked to the core. At that very moment, young Udham decided to avenge the killings of the innocent victims of this colossal tragedy.

Udham Singh's Revenge

In the year 1924, Udham Singh came in contact with the Ghadar Party which was known for its underground activities against the British empire. He was arrested by the police but was soon released. Amidst the police constantly chasing him, he escaped to Europe. By the year 1934, Udham Singh reached London for his final task.

It is well known that the real culprit behind the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy was Michael O'Dwyer who was the LG of Punjab when the British troops had been ordered to open fire on the innocent people of Jallianwala Bagh.

On 13 March 1940, Michael O' Dwyer was fatally shot by Udham Singh at Caxton Hall, London. He was immediately arrested for shooting Dwyer and charged with murder by authorities. Interestingly, when asked about his name, Udham Singh referred to himself as 'Ram Mohammad Singh Azad'; which was symbolic of the three major religious sects of India along with the word 'Azad' which signified a desire for freedom from the British colonial powers.

Finally, on 31st July 1940, Udham Singh attained 'veergati' after being hanged by the British authorities at London's Pentonville prison. (KB)