Udham Singh: Read about Indian revolutionary who assassinated Michael O’Dwyer in London

Indian freedom fighter and revolutionary Udham Singh belonged to the Ghadar Party and was a major part of India's fight against British rule. He was also behind the assassination of Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab in India and a major accused behind the Jallianwala massacre. 

Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal will be soon seen in a film based on him and will showcase his brave efforts towards the freedom of India. Read on to know more about the Indian revolutionary and his role in the assassination of Michael O'Dwyer. 

Who was Sardar Udham Singh?

Born on 26th December 1899 in Punjab's Sangrur district, Sardar Udham Singh was a political activist. He lost his parents soon after he was born and was later raised along with his elder brother in an orphanage. During this time, he did his education and completed schooling till10th class. After this, he left the orphanage. 

It was during that time when the Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place and it left a big impact on Udham Singh's mind. He became a part of revolutionary politics and was influenced by Bhagat Singh. Later, he got associated with the Ghadar party and it's his fight against the British rule in India that makes him pivotal in the India's fight for freedom.

As a part of the revolutionary group, he went to other countries for bringing Indians together against the Britishers. Later in 1927, he came back to India with arms and ammunition after which he was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. After being released, he was under constant surveillance and at the same time was also making plans to assassinate Dwyer. 

Sardar Udham Singh and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre

Udham Singh was only 19 years old during the Jallianwala killings. It was in the year 1919 when the people of Punjab gathered to celebrate the festival of Lohri and were also a part of a peaceful protest against the arrest of some Independence leaders.  However, on the instructions of Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, also known as Michael O'Dwyer, troops opened fire on the crowd and killed thousands of civilians. This created great chaos as people were unable to leave the site due to the closed site surrounded by British troops on all the gates. 

The deadly massacre witnessed the death of over 1,000 people and left many injured. Sardar Udham Singh was also present at the site with some of his friends. He got injured in the attack and was unable to move until the next morning. He was surrounded by the dead bodies of innocent people.

Enraged by this, he then decided to avenge the death of the people and assassinate Colonel Dywer and the other Britishers. 

The assassination of Michael O'Dwyer in London

After the massacre, Sardar Udham Singh went to become a part of a revolutionary movement and started planning the assassination of O'Dwyer. Finally, in 1940, he came to a meeting of the East India Association and the Central Asian Society in London where Michael was to set to attend.

With a hidden revolver inside a book, he shot Dwyer twice, killing him on the spot. Apart from him, many other British officers were also injured during the attack.

Immediately after killing O'Dwyer, Singh surrendered himself and was later taken to the Briston prison. It was during this time when he went on a hunger strike. Later during trials, he was sentenced to death and was finally hanged on July 31, 1940, at the Pentonville Prison. His remains were sent back to India and he was cremated in his village in Punjab. 

Image: Twitter/@DDNational