Bombay Mill Workers' 1890 Rally for Sunday Off Led to India's Provident Fund
The Better India · lifestyle
A massive rally of over 10,000 Bombay mill workers on April 24, 1890, organized by Narayan Meghaji Lokhande, successfully campaigned for a weekly day of rest. Mill owners conceded to a Sunday holiday by June 10, 1890. This initial victory for workers' rights paved the way for future labour reforms. The argument over employer and state obligations to workers eventually led to the Employees' Provident Funds Act of 1952, with textile workers being among the first groups covered.