Sardar Udham Singh’s 126th Birth Anniversary: Interesting Facts About The Man Who Avenged Jallianwala Bagh

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Today, 26 December 2025, marks the 126th birth anniversary of Shaheed Sardar Udham Singh. It's a date that deserves more than a passing mention. Udham Singh isn't a freedom fighter remembered for speeches or slogans. He's remembered for patience, precision, and a sense of justice that didn't fade with time. This is the story behind the man, stripped of myths, told as it happened.

Photo Credit: Oneindia

He Was Born Sher Singh, Not Udham Singh

Sardar Udham Singh was born Sher Singh on 26 December 1899 in Punjab. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised at the Central Khalsa Orphanage in Amritsar, where he later received the name Udham Singh. The orphanage years shaped a man who trusted his own judgment more than institutions, a pattern that followed him throughout his life.

The Moment That Never Left Him: Jallianwala Bagh

Udham Singh was in Amritsar during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of April 1919. British troops fired into an unarmed gathering, killing hundreds. For him, this was not a chapter that closed with time. It became the defining injustice of his life. What stands out is not rage, but restraint. He did not act immediately. He waited for years.

Why Michael O'Dwyer Was His Chosen Target

When Udham Singh finally acted on 13 March 1940, he assassinated Michael O'Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. O'Dwyer was not present at Jallianwala Bagh, but he had publicly defended the massacre and the repression that followed. In court, Udham Singh made it clear that he had acted because O'Dwyer had justified the killings and showed no remorse. For Udham Singh, this was about responsibility, not symbolism.

He Worked Alone, Outside Famous Revolutionary Groups

Despite popular belief, Udham Singh was not a documented member of the HSRA. He had links with the Ghadar Party during his years abroad but largely operated on his own. He travelled quietly, worked ordinary jobs, and stayed away from publicity. This independence is one reason he remained largely unnoticed by British intelligence until the very end.

Why He Called Himself Ram Mohammad Singh Azad

At the time of his arrest and during trial proceedings, Udham Singh identified himself as Ram Mohammad Singh Azad. In court, this name was not explained at length, but its intent was unmistakable, unity across religions and a clear rejection of colonial divisions. It was how he chose to be recorded in official history.

What He Said in Court - And What Was Left Out

At his Old Bailey trial in June 1940, Udham Singh did not ask for mercy. When invited to speak before sentencing, he was direct about both motive and consequence.

He told the court:

"I do not care about sentence of death. It means nothing at all."
"I am not afraid to die."
"I am dying for a purpose."

He explained that he acted because Michael O'Dwyer had defended the violence after Jallianwala Bagh and showed no remorse. When Udham Singh tried to expand this into a wider criticism of British rule in India, the judge intervened and restricted him to the legal question of sentencing. As a result, only parts of his statement appear in official records, while the more overtly political sections were curtailed during proceedings.

How British Records Described His Demeanour

British trial and prison accounts describe Udham Singh as calm and controlled throughout the proceedings. There is no language suggesting panic or emotional instability.

Even while facing the death sentence, he spoke without apology or visible fear, reinforcing what he stated plainly in court that he accepted the outcome and had no regret.

He Did Not Try to Escape

After the assassination, Udham Singh made no attempt to flee. He allowed himself to be arrested and faced trial directly. In court, he made it clear that he understood the consequences of his actions and accepted them fully. His behaviour reinforced what his statements suggested that survival was never the goal.

His Death and the Long Journey Home

Shaheed Udham Singh was executed on 31 July 1940 at Pentonville Prison in London. What followed is often overlooked. His remains stayed in Britain for decades. It was only in 1974, 34 years after his execution that his ashes were returned to India and immersed in Punjab. The delay says a lot about how long it took for his sacrifice to be fully acknowledged.

Udham Singh did not chase recognition. He waited, acted, and accepted the outcome without hesitation. As we mark his birth anniversary today, the real question isn't whether his act was extreme, it's whether we understand the silence, discipline, and resolve it took to carry that decision for over twenty years.