A ray of hope for Udham Singh's poor kin

In his life of penury, there has been one source of pride: he is the descendant of legendary freedom fighter Udham Singh who had shot dead Michael O'Dwyer, the then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab to avenge the Jallianwala massacre.

Jeet Singh works as a labourer in a nearby construction site, earning Rs 150 for the day’s toil. “It’s a hard life for me. My two sons are not settled yet. I have a hopeless future,” Jeet Singh said.

But this week, 92 years after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, things have changed for the better for the martyr’s kin. Shivnath Jha and Neena Jha, a Delhi-based couple, honoured Singh on Bhaisaki Day. He was given a cheque for Rs 11 lakh collected thorough voluntary donations. The couple has launched the movement called “Andolan: Ek Pustak Se.” They provide help to the neglected descendants of the Indian heroes between 1857-1947. “Jeet Singh is poor and is Udham Singh’s descendant, his cousin’s grandson,” Jha said. With some money in pocket, Jeet Singh said he was happy and felt a lot secure in life. “I will at least have something for my rainy day,” he said.