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Udham Singh (December 26, 1899 – July 31, 1940), born Sher Singh and also known as Ram Mohammed Singh Azaad, was a Punjabi revolutionary and freedom fighter, considered to be one of the most famous martyrs of the Indian freedom struggle. For this reason, he is also sometimes referred to as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh (the expression Shaheed-i-Azam means "king of martyrs"). He is also believed by many to be one of the earliest Marxists in India. He was known at various stages in his life by the following names: Sher Singh, Udham Singh, Udhan Singh, Ude Singh, Uday Singh, Frank Brazil, and Ram Mohammed Singh Azaad. Whilst living in England in 1940, Singh Shot dead Sir Michael O'Dwyer, former Governor of the Punjab. This was in revenge for the heinous criminal massacre, which General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer had perpetrated on innocent Indians under Michael O'Dwyer's rule, and which O'Dwyer had, unfortunately defended. Although condemned by few conservatives at the time, numerous patriotic Indians however, regarded this justified revenge as an important step in India's struggle to end British colonial rule.
Early life
Sher Singh was born in Sunam in the Sangrur district of Punjab to a farming family led by Sardar Tehal Singh, known as Chuhar Singh before taking the amrit. He belonged to Kamboj family of the Jammu clan or sub-caste. Sardar Tehal Singh was at that time working as a watchman on a railway crossing in the neighbouring village of Upall. He died in 1907. Sher Singh's mother followed soon after.
Sher Singh and his elder brother, Mukta Singh, were admitted to the Centre Khalsa Orphanage Pultighar in Amritsar on October 24, 1907 with the help of Bhai Kishan Singh Ragi. Both boys were administered the Sikh initiatory rites at the orphanage and received new names; Sher Singh becoming Udham Singh and Mukta Singh became Sadhu Singh. Sadhu Singh died in 1917, which came as a great shock to his brother. Singh trained in various arts and crafts and the orphanage and started up a painting shop, listing his name on the sign as "Ram Mohammed Singh Azaad", a sign that he believed in secularism over caste and religion. Udham Singh passed the matriculation examination in 1918 and left the orphanage.
Criminal massacre at Jallianwala Bagh
It was the fateful Baisakhi Day, 13th April 1919 when over twenty thousand of unarmed, innocent & peaceful Indians had assembled in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar to register a peaceful protest against British colonial rule in India as well as against the arrest and deportation of Dr. Satya Pal, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and few others under the infamous Rowlatt Act. Udham Singh and his mates from the Centre Khalsa Orphanage were present in the Jallianwala Bagh and serving water to the assembled people.
At about 17:15, accompanied by 75 soldiers armed with rifles and Khukhris and addition, two armed cars carrying machine guns, General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer had entered Jallianwala Bagh from its only entrance and thus blocking the exit completely. Immediately upon enterance and without even a slightest warning, General Dyer ordered his men to open fire especially targetting the areas where the assembled crowd was the thickest. The firing lasted about ten minutes until the entire stock of ammunition was used up. Within no time, thousands of innocent and defenseless civilians, peacefully sitting and listening to their leader-spokesmmen, were ruethlessly massacred and wounded. The official figures conservatively reported over 400 dead and 1200 wounded, but other reports estimated the deads well over thousand (See: Home Poltical, Sept 1920, No 23, National archive of India, New Delhi) and possibly thirteen hunderds. Dr Smith placed the casuilities at 1800 (See: Report of Commisioners, appointed by the Punjab Sub-committe of Indian National Congress, Vol I, New Delhi, p 68).
Udham Singh held Michael O’Dwyer mainly responsible for this criminal and indefensible massacre. The incidence greatly shook young Udham and proved a turning point in his life. Udham Singh took a silent vow and solemn pledge in front of the Golden Temple to pay these criminal mass-murderers in the same coins in order to restore honor of the humilated nation. After this heinous incidence, Udham plunged into active revolutionary politics.
Journey to Revolutionary Politics
After the massacre, Udham Singh left the orphanage and moved from one country to another to achieve the secret objective of his life. He then managed to reach Africa in the year 1920 and reached Nairobi in 1921. From there he managed to reach United States in the year 1924 and has worked with freedom fighters of Ghadar Party, an Indian group known for its revolutionary politics and Lala Hardyal.
On the orders of Bhagat Singh, Udha