Why in the News?

On July 31, 1940, Indian revolutionary leader Udham Singh was executed at the Pentonville prison in London for killing Michael O’Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab.
- He avenged the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre by assassinating Michael O’Dwyer.

Udham Singh (1899-1940) and his Contributions:

	Details
Birth and Early Life	Singh was born in Sunam in Punjab’s Sangrur district in 1899.
Political Activism	Became associated with the Ghadar Party while in the US, which was founded by Sohan Singh Bhakna in 1913 and headquartered in California.
Purpose and Actions	In 1934, Singh travelled to London to assassinate Michael O’Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab during the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Reason for Targeting O’Dwyer	O’Dwyer had ordered Brigadier Reginald Dyer to Amritsar before the massacre, fearing a second Indian mutiny due to Hindu-Muslim unity and demonstrations.
Assassination of O’Dwyer	On March 13, 1940, Singh shot O’Dwyer at a meeting in Caxton Hall, London.
Arrest and Execution	Arrested immediately, held in Brixton prison, sentenced to death, and hanged on July 31, 1940, at Pentonville Prison.
Legacy and Recognition	Regarded as a hero for avenging the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Gandhi termed it an “*act of insanity”. He symbolized Hindu-Sikh-Muslim* unity by adopting the name *‘Ram* *Mohamed Singh Azad’* during his trial.
Posthumous Honors	His remains were returned to India in 1974 and cremated in his village in Sunam. His statue was installed at Jallianwala Bagh in 2018; Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand is named after him.

[2014] The Ghadr (Ghadar) was a:

(a) Revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco.

(b) Nationalist organization operating from Singapore

(d) Communist movement for India’s freedom with head-quarters at Tashkent