SSC
In 1940, Udham Singh shot dead in London the former Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab responsible for the policies that led to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. This official was:
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Answer: Option A — Michael O'Dwyer
Detailed Solution
On 13 March 1940, Udham Singh shot dead Sir Michael O'Dwyer, the former Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab, at a meeting at the Caxton Hall in London.
Background:
- Michael O'Dwyer was the Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab in 1919, at the time of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (13 April 1919).
- He had followed harsh policies in Punjab, and supported the actions of General Reginald Dyer, who ordered the firing at Jallianwala Bagh.
- He also imposed martial law in Punjab after the massacre.
- Udham Singh held him responsible for the massacre.
About Udham Singh:
- He was born in 1899 at Sunam, in the Sangrur district of Punjab.
- He grew up in an orphanage in Amritsar.
- He is said to have been present at Jallianwala Bagh on the day of the massacre, and vowed to take revenge.
- He was associated with the Ghadar Party and with revolutionaries such as Bhagat Singh.
- He travelled to many countries, and finally reached London in the 1930s.
The assassination:
- At a joint meeting of the East India Association and the Royal Central Asian Society at Caxton Hall, Udham Singh fired at O'Dwyer, killing him, and also wounded other officials.
- He was arrested at the spot.
His trial and execution:
- At his trial, he called himself "Ram Mohammad Singh Azad", a name symbolising the unity of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.
- He was hanged at Pentonville Prison, London, on 31 July 1940.
- His remains were brought back to India in 1974 and cremated at Sunam.
- He is honoured as "Shaheed-i-Azam" Udham Singh.
About General Dyer:
Dyer, who ordered the firing, died in England in 1927 of illness.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Dyer died of natural causes; Chelmsford was the Viceroy; Montagu was the Secretary of State.
Quick tip
Remember: Udham Singh shot Michael O'Dwyer (former Lt.-Governor of Punjab) at Caxton Hall, London, on 13 March 1940; hanged 31 July 1940; "Ram Mohammad Singh Azad".
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This question tests your understanding of Revolutionaries & Revolutionary Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the revolutionary side of the freedom struggle in India and abroad: groups such as the Anushilan Samiti, the Ghadar Party and the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, revolutionaries such as Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ram Prasad Bismil, Khudiram Bose and Surya Sen, and Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. Questions often ask about an incident and the people involved, such as the Kakori train action (1925), the Lahore Conspiracy Case, the Chittagong armoury raid (1930) and the bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly (1929). Also learn the founders and headquarters of revolutionary groups formed abroad, such as the Ghadar Party in San Francisco. Practise the revolutionaries questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.