CM Dhami leads floral tribute to Shaheed Udham Singh in Udham Singh Nagar
Synopsis
On the 86th anniversary of his martyrdom, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami led a live-streamed garland offering and Akhand Path at Shaheed Udham Singh's statue in Udham Singh Nagar, honouring the revolutionary who avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Key Takeaways
31 July 2026 marks the 86th martyrdom anniversary of revolutionary Udham Singh , who was hanged by British authorities on 31 July 1940 .
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a floral tribute ( maalyarpan ) and Akhand Path at Udham Singh's statue in Udham Singh Nagar .
The event was broadcast live on X , giving the public direct access to the commemoration.
Udham Singh assassinated Michael O'Dwyer in London in 1940 to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 .
Udham Singh Nagar district was carved out of Nainital in 1995 and named after the freedom fighter.
A martyr's memory drew fresh reverence on Friday, 31 July 2026, as Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a live-streamed garland offering and Akhand Path (unbroken scripture recital) at the statue of Shaheed Udham Singh in Udham Singh Nagar — the district that bears the revolutionary's name.
The man behind the district's name
Udham Singh occupies a singular place in India's independence story. On 13 March 1940, he walked into Caxton Hall in London and shot dead Michael O'Dwyer — the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab who had endorsed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919, in which hundreds of unarmed civilians were killed. Udham Singh was hanged by British authorities on 31 July 1940 — making today the 86th anniversary of his martyrdom. The district carved out of Nainital in 1995 was named in his honour, cementing his legacy in Uttarakhand's administrative geography.Garlands, scripture, and a live stream from the memorial
Chief Minister Dhami broadcast the commemoration live on X (formerly Twitter), offering the public a direct window into the maalyarpan (garland offering) at the statue. Alongside the floral tribute, an Akhand Path — a continuous, uninterrupted reading of the Guru Granth Sahib — was held, reflecting the Sikh religious tradition closely associated with Udham Singh's heritage and the broader Punjabi community that has deep roots in Udham Singh Nagar. The district has a significant Sikh population, many descended from families who settled in the Terai region after Partition, and the anniversary carries particular emotional weight for residents who regard Udham Singh as both a freedom fighter and a community icon. State-level commemorations of this kind — floral tributes, religious recitals, and public broadcasts at martyr memorials — have become a consistent feature of governance across northern states, connecting administrative identity with nationalist memory. For Udham Singh Nagar, the ritual is especially resonant: the district does not merely commemorate the man; it is named after him. As the Akhand Path continues, the anniversary closes with the same quiet resolve that defined Udham Singh's own act — a refusal to let the past be forgotten.Point of View
Blending administrative identity with nationalist symbolism. Udham Singh Nagar is a particularly potent venue: the district's very name is the tribute, making the annual ceremony an act of institutional memory rather than mere political optics. The live-stream format extends the reach of a local event to a statewide audience, reinforcing CM Dhami's positioning as a custodian of Uttarakhand's patriotic heritage. With a significant Sikh population in the Terai belt, the inclusion of an Akhand Path also signals deliberate outreach to a community for whom Udham Singh is both a martyr and a cultural icon.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Shaheed Udham Singh and why is he remembered?
Udham Singh was an Indian revolutionary who assassinated Michael O'Dwyer in London on 13 March 1940 to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919, in which British-ordered troops killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in Amritsar. He was hanged on 31 July 1940 and is celebrated as a martyr of India's independence movement.
Why is 31 July significant for Udham Singh?
31 July 1940 is the date on which Udham Singh was executed by British authorities in London, making it his martyrdom anniversary. The date is commemorated annually across India, particularly in Uttarakhand and Punjab.
What is Udham Singh Nagar and how did it get its name?
Udham Singh Nagar is a district in Uttarakhand, carved out of the former Nainital district in 1995. It was named after the freedom fighter Udham Singh to honour his role in India's independence struggle.
What is an Akhand Path?
An Akhand Path is an uninterrupted, continuous recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism. It typically runs for approximately 48 hours and is held on auspicious or commemorative occasions.
What did CM Dhami do at the Udham Singh Nagar event on 31 July 2026?
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a garland offering at the statue of Shaheed Udham Singh in Udham Singh Nagar and attended an Akhand Path held in the martyr's memory. The event was broadcast live on X.
