Sardar Udham

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre is not a mystery to anyone. On the 13th of April 1919, Amritsar as well as the whole of India saw a tragic event take place as part of the freedom struggle. It is no secret that thousands of people were assassinated in the Bagh by the General Dwyer of the British government which was also the ruling government in India at that time. However, No one knows the fact that all of those people who lost their lives were successfully avenged as well.

Shaheed Sardar Udham Singh; Source: Tribune India

General Michael O’Dwyer was a British officer back in 1919 who ordered to kill hundreds and wounded thousands of people when all of them collected in the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to protest against some leaders.

Jallianwala Bagh was a space that had only one exit. It was surrounded by buildings from the rest of the three sides. Seeing thousands of people gather in the Bagh to protest, General Dwyer ordered the British troops to surround the place. Not only that, but he also entered the Bagh with the troops and stood in front of the exit, blocking it altogether.

Just as he blocked the only exit that there was, he ordered his troop to start firing on everyone present in front of them until their ammunition got exhausted. Getting the order from the general, the troops obeyed and started firing as well. This violent act led to the killing of more than 1500 people and injuring more than 2000.

This massacre carved a scar in the hearts of families that were affected as well as everyone who heard about it. However, there was one person in all of the freedom fighters and citizens that was deeply affected amongst all. Just at the age of 20 years, Sardar Udham Singh decided to avenge his fellow Indians who were assassinated with no mercy and devoted the rest of his life making it a mission to do so.

Sardar Udham Singh was a very big follower of the renowned freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, whom he met in the jail. It was after that that Udham Singh started following Bhagat Singh as his guru with full zeal and passion in the fight for freedom.

In his preparation to avenge his fellow assassinated Indians, Sardar Udham developed perfection in changing personalities as per the needs. His perfection in changing avatars allowed him to get inside that one gate of Caxton Hill to take the avenge.

On the 13th of March 1940, Udham Singh was a part of the meeting that was being held by the East India Company at Caxton hill where General Dwyer was also present. Carefully using and proving how smart he was, Udham Singh carried a gun into the meeting which was hidden inside his diary. The pages were properly carved and the book was hollowed in the shape of the gun to raise no suspicion.

Seeing the perfect opportunity to take the avenge, he took out his gun from his diary and shot General Dwyer in front of everyone present there. He did this out in the open to send a message to the entire world that revolution was happening and it was happening successfully. Not only that, Sardar’s act of avenging the people who died and got injured in the Jallianwala Bagh was also a reminder to people of one of the biggest tragedies and losses India had ever suffered.

Being a true freedom fighter, Sardar Udham Singh surrendered himself to the British police. He just stood from where he shot the General until he was arrested.

After being arrested, Sardar Udham Singh went on a 42-day hunger strike. He was forcibly fed to end his strike. Doing just not this, but also calling himself Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, he signified three religions coming together to fight for their freedom.

Sardar Udham Singh was then hanged in July 1940. His remains were returned to India and are kept in Jallianwala Bagh as a tribute to the freedom fighter. The gun that he used is kept in the Black Museum in Scotland along with his diary, knife, and some bullets.

Sardar Udham Singh’s act of bravery is saluted all over. The bravery and zeal he portrayed to fight for the freedom of the country as well as in avenging the people who lost their lives in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by killing General Dwyer are commendable. He inspires and teaches us to fight for ourselves even in today’s time.

The name ‘Ram Mohammed Singh Azad’ written on Sardar Udham Singh’s forearm when he was arrested; Source: NDTV India