CM Sukhu pays tribute to Udham Singh on Martyrdom Day
Synopsis
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute to revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh on his martyrdom anniversary, honouring the man who avenged the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre by assassinating Michael O'Dwyer in London in 1940.
Key Takeaways
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute to Sardar Udham Singh on his martyrdom anniversary on 31 July 2026 .
Sardar Udham Singh assassinated Michael O'Dwyer , former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, in London on 13 March 1940 .
The assassination was in direct retaliation for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919 , in which British troops killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in Amritsar .
Udham Singh was subsequently tried and hanged, becoming one of India's most celebrated revolutionary martyrs.
CM Sukhu called his life an eternal source of inspiration for 'patriotism, courage, and a sense of duty.'
A revolutionary who crossed oceans to settle a debt of blood — Sardar Udham Singh is remembered on his martyrdom anniversary as one of India's most defiant freedom fighters. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid solemn homage to the legendary revolutionary on Friday, 31 July 2026, honouring his sacrifice and the unyielding spirit that defined his life.
Posting in Hindi, CM Sukhu wrote: 'स्वतंत्रता सेनानी एवं जलियांवाला बाग नरसंहार का बदला लेकर देश के स्वाभिमान की रक्षा करने वाले महान क्रांतिकारी सरदार उधम सिंह जी के बलिदान दिवस पर उन्हें शत-शत नमन।' — 'A hundred salutes to the great revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh, freedom fighter and the man who avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to protect the nation's self-respect, on his martyrdom day.'
The wound that never healed: Jallianwala Bagh, 1919
To understand Udham Singh, you must first understand Jallianwala Bagh. On 13 April 1919, British troops under General Reginald Dyer opened fire on a peaceful gathering of unarmed civilians in Amritsar, Punjab — men, women, and children trapped in a walled garden with no exit. Hundreds were killed. The massacre became a defining wound in India's colonial memory, and for the young Udham Singh, a personal vow.
One man, one mission, twenty-one years in the making
Sardar Udham Singh waited over two decades to act. On 13 March 1940, at Caxton Hall in London, he shot and killed Michael O'Dwyer — the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab who had approved Dyer's orders. Udham Singh was arrested, tried, and hanged. He did not flinch. His act was not impulsive; it was a cold, deliberate reckoning across continents and years.
CM Sukhu's tribute captured that totality: 'मातृभूमि के प्रति अटूट प्रेम, त्याग और बलिदान की भावना से भरा उनका संपूर्ण जीवन सदैव राष्ट्रप्रेम, साहस और कर्तव्यनिष्ठा की प्रेरणा देता रहेगा।' — 'His entire life, filled with unwavering love, sacrifice, and devotion to the motherland, will forever inspire patriotism, courage, and a sense of duty.'
Across India's political spectrum, leaders routinely mark freedom fighter anniversaries with public tributes — keeping colonial-era memory alive as a pillar of national identity. For CM Sukhu, the homage also reflects the Indian National Congress's deep historical association with the independence movement and its figures.
Udham Singh's story is not a footnote. It is a reminder that the price of freedom was paid in decades, not days.
Point of View
Invoking revolutionary figures like Udham Singh reinforces a historical identity that the party frequently deploys in political messaging. The tribute carries no immediate policy weight, but it is part of a sustained effort to keep colonial-era memory central to national discourse. In an era of competing historical narratives, who gets remembered — and by whom — is itself a political act.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sardar Udham Singh?
Sardar Udham Singh was an Indian revolutionary who assassinated Michael O'Dwyer in London in 1940 to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919, in which hundreds of unarmed civilians were killed by British troops in Amritsar.
Why is Udham Singh remembered as a martyr?
Udham Singh was arrested, tried, and hanged by British authorities after assassinating Michael O'Dwyer. He is celebrated in India as a martyr who sacrificed his life to avenge a colonial atrocity and defend national honour.
What was the Jallianwala Bagh massacre?
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on 13 April 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab, when British troops under General Reginald Dyer opened fire on a peaceful, unarmed gathering, killing hundreds of people trapped in a walled garden.
Who did Udham Singh assassinate and why?
Udham Singh assassinated Michael O'Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab who had approved General Dyer's orders to open fire at Jallianwala Bagh. The killing was a deliberate act of retribution carried out in London on 13 March 1940.
Why did CM Sukhu pay tribute to Udham Singh?
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute on Udham Singh's martyrdom anniversary, calling his life an eternal source of inspiration for patriotism, courage, and devotion to the motherland.
