What first thought comes to your mind when you think of Sardar Udham Singh? To most Indians, the name generates an image of a daredevil who avenged the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh. He is remembered by most as someone who killed the architect of the reprehensible massacre and was hanged by the British in England. Beyond that we don’t know much about Udham Singh, at least I did not know. “The Patient Assassin” by Anita Anand presents the story of the man behind the legend.
The book is a historical account of the life of Udham Singh, the Jallianwala Bagh incident, and its impact on his life. The author takes the readers through the childhood and teen years of Udham Singh, a nondescript life in an orphanage in Amritsar. There is not any detailed documented information about his childhood and teen years. The author meticulously puts together all the information she can lay a hand to and gives us a sketch of his early years.
At the same time, the author takes us through the life of Udham Singh’s nemesis, Sir Michael O’Dwyer. It gives the readers a perspective on his background, upbringing, and thought process. She also introduces Reginald Dyer, who preferred to be called ‘Rex’ and was known to Indians as the “Butcher of Amritsar”.
The book tracks the life of Udham Singh, from his birth to his death, and all he has done in between. His lifestyle was like a vagabond, he joined the British army and served in Basra but was sent back in early 1919 as he was deemed immature and unfit for service. Reading the book, one would find out that Udham Singh was deeply impacted by the Jallianwala massacre and that he had taken a pledge to avenge the deaths of his countrymen.
The book has a detailed account of what led to the 13th of April 1919. Based on official documents, official communications, personal accounts of the people, and court documents the author presents a picture of how things unfolded before the massacre. The anger among Indians after the Jallianwala Bagh murders, the court proceedings, and the outcome of it. It is interesting to know how O’Dwyer and Dyer were received in England and how they reacted to the reception they received from the public of England.
The life of Udham Singh after the Jallianwala Bagh killings and his twenty-long years of wait to avenge the deaths by killing Sir Michael O’Dwyer. He became a hero a patriotic among the Indians in England and back home in India. The Congress condemned the actions of Udham Singh but for common citizens, he was a hero.
He was hanged to death on July 31, 1940, buried in England. His remains were brought back to India on July 19, 1974, thirty-four years after his death. Looking at the excitement of the people Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister announced that Udham Singh’s remains would tour all of Punjab. Many announcements were made to honour the son of soil Sardar Udham Singh by various politicians and organizations. I felt a sense of pain and sorrow while reading this paragraph at the end of the book.
“Two urns were kept in the library of Shaheed Udham Singh Arts College in Sunam, where they were meant to wait for the construction of a memorial museum bearing Udham’s name. Forty-five years later, they are waiting there still.”
A deeply researched and well-written account of the life of Sardar Udham Singh. A must-read for people who want to know about Udham Singh and for history enthusiasts interested to know about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
About The Author
Anita Anand is an award-winning broadcast journalist and currently hosts BBC Radio 4’s Any Answers? Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, India Today, and The Asian Age. In addition to The Patient Assassin, she is the author of Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary, and coauthor of Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World’s Most Infamous Diamond.