Narayan Meghaji Lokhande

Narayan Meghaji Lokhande
Born 1848
Thane, Maharashtra, India
Died 1897
Mumbai, India
Movement Trade Union Movement in India

Narayan Meghaji Lokhande (1848-1897) was a pioneer of the labour movement in India. He is remembered not only for ameliorating the working conditions of textile mill-hands in the 19th century but also for his courageous initiatives on caste and communal issues.[1] The Government of India issued a postage stamp with his photograph in 2005.

Social contribution

Narayan Meghaji Lokhande was a prominent colleague of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. Lokhande is acclaimed as the Father of the Trade Union Movement in India. From 1880 onwards he took over the management of Deenbandhu which was published from Bombay. Along with Lokhande, Jyotirao also addressed the meetings of the textile workers in Bombay. It is significant that before Jyotirao and his colleagues Bhalekar and Lokhande tried to organise the peasants and the workers, no such attempt was made by any organisation to redress their grievances.[2] Lokhande started the first Indian Workers organization – 'Bombay Mill Hands Association'.

Some of the rights mill workers got because of N M Lokhande were:[3]

  • Mill workers should get a weekly holiday on Sunday.
  • In the afternoon, workers should be entitled to half-hour recess.
  • The mill should start working from 6:30 in the morning and close by sunset.
  • The salaries of the workers should be given by the 15th of every month.

He was awarded the title of Rao Bahudur by the British Raj. He established 'Mumbai Kamgar Sangh'.

Praised by government

In 3 May 2005, the Government of India released a postage stamp to commemorate his work.

References

  1. ↑ "Narayan Meghaji Lokhande: The Father of Trade Union Movement in India". . Apart from this he was also awarded the title of Rao Bahadur in 1895 for his work during riots between Hindus and Muslims. "Justice of peace" was awarded with great respect to him by the then British Indian Government.
  2. ↑ "Mahatma Jotirao Govindrao Pule". .
  3. ↑ "Life And Work of Mahatma Jotirao Phule". .
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