Khattar pays tribute to Sardar Udham Singh on death anniversary
Synopsis
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar marked the death anniversary of Sardar Udham Singh on July 31, 2026, honouring the revolutionary who assassinated former Punjab Lieutenant Governor Michael O'Dwyer in London in 1940 to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Key Takeaways
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar paid tribute to Sardar Udham Singh on his death anniversary, July 31, 2026 .
Sardar Udham Singh was born in 1899 and assassinated former Punjab Lieutenant Governor Michael O'Dwyer in London on March 13, 1940 to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 .
Udham Singh was convicted and hanged on July 31, 1940 — making this the 86th anniversary of his execution.
Khattar described Udham Singh's courage and sacrifice as 'inscribed in golden letters in Indian history.' Annual commemorations are held at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar and other sites associated with the revolutionary each July 31.
On the death anniversary of one of India's most defiant revolutionaries, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar offered his homage to Sardar Udham Singh on Friday, July 31, 2026 — the day that marks the hanging of the man who travelled across continents to settle a debt of blood and honour.
Posting in Hindi, Khattar called Udham Singh an 'amar sapoot' (immortal son) of Mother India, saying his 'unparalleled courage, unwavering resolve and sacrifice for the dignity, glory and self-respect of the motherland will remain forever inscribed in golden letters in Indian history.' He added that Udham Singh's life offers 'eternal inspiration to stand firm against injustice, for fierce patriotism and self-sacrifice.'
The act that made Udham Singh immortal
Sardar Udham Singh, born in 1899, witnessed — or was deeply shaped by — the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of April 13, 1919, in which British troops under the command of General Reginald Dyer opened fire on an unarmed gathering in Amritsar, killing hundreds. The man Udham Singh held most responsible, however, was not Dyer but Michael O'Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab who had sanctioned the crackdown. For over two decades, Udham Singh waited. On March 13, 1940, at Caxton Hall in London, he shot O'Dwyer dead at a public meeting. He made no attempt to flee. Tried and convicted, he was hanged on July 31, 1940 — the date India marks as his punyatithi (death anniversary) each year.Why July 31 is marked across India
Khattar's post is part of a well-established practice among Indian political leaders of commemorating freedom-era revolutionaries on their death and birth anniversaries through social media. Udham Singh occupies a particularly charged place in this tradition — his story bridges the Jallianwala Bagh wound and a transnational act of resistance, making him a recurring symbol invoked across party lines. Annual commemorations are held at Jallianwala Bagh and at sites associated with Udham Singh, including in his home state of Punjab. For a minister from Haryana — the state that borders Punjab and shares deep historical ties to the Punjab of the colonial era — the tribute carries regional resonance alongside its national weight. Eighty-six years after the rope, the revolutionary's name still commands a moment of silence from the corridors of power in New Delhi.Point of View
Giving him cross-regional appeal. For a senior BJP leader and former Haryana Chief Minister, honouring a Punjab-rooted revolutionary on a day marked across North India also carries subtle regional outreach. The consistency of such commemorations across party lines reflects how deeply the freedom struggle's martyrs have been institutionalised into the Indian political calendar.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sardar Udham Singh?
Sardar Udham Singh was an Indian revolutionary born in 1899 who assassinated Michael O'Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, in London on March 13, 1940, to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. He was hanged on July 31, 1940.
Why is July 31 significant for Sardar Udham Singh?
July 31 marks the death anniversary of Sardar Udham Singh, who was executed by British authorities on July 31, 1940, after being convicted for the assassination of Michael O'Dwyer. The day is observed across India as his punyatithi.
What was the Jallianwala Bagh massacre?
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab, when British troops opened fire on an unarmed gathering, killing hundreds of people. Michael O'Dwyer, as Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, had sanctioned the military crackdown that led to the atrocity.
Why did Manohar Lal Khattar pay tribute to Udham Singh?
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar posted a tribute on July 31, 2026, on the occasion of Sardar Udham Singh's death anniversary, honouring his courage, sacrifice and patriotism in line with a long-standing practice among Indian political leaders.
Where are commemorations held for Sardar Udham Singh?
Annual commemorations for Sardar Udham Singh are held at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar and at sites associated with him in Punjab, particularly on July 31, his death anniversary.
