Udham Singh

Udham Singh
Born
Sher Singh

(1899-12-26)26 December 1899
Died31 July 1940(1940-07-31) (aged 40)
Cause of deathExecution by hanging
NationalityIndian
Other namesRam Mohammad Singh Azad, Ude
OccupationRevolutionary
Organization(s)Ghadar Party
Hindustan Socialist Republican Association
Indian Workers' Association
Known forAssassinating Michael O'Dwyer in retaliation for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
MovementIndian independence movement
Criminal statusExecuted
SpouseLupe
Children2 sons
ConvictionMurder
Criminal penaltyDeath
Details
VictimsMichael O'Dwyer, 75
Signature

Udham Singh (born Sher Singh; 26 December 1899 – 31 July 1940) was an Indian revolutionary belonging to Ghadar Party and HSRA, best known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in India, on 13 March 1940. The assassination was done in revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919, for which O'Dwyer was responsible and of which Singh himself was a survivor. Singh was subsequently tried and convicted of murder and hanged in July 1940. While in custody, he used the name 'Ram Mohammad Singh Azad', which represents the three major religions in India and his anti-colonial sentiment.

Singh was a well-known figure of the Indian independence movement. He is also referred to as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh (the expression "Shaheed-i-Azam" means "the great martyr"). A district (Udham Singh Nagar) was named after him as a homage by the Mayawati government in October 1995.