International Labour Day 2020: History and Significance of May 1st

International Labour Day or May Day is is observed every year to pay tribute to the contribution of workers across the world. The history of the Labour Day dates back to close to a one-and-a-half century before on 1st May 1886.  In India, the first formal celebration of Labour Day was initiated by the ‘Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan’ in Chennai (then known as Madras) on 1 May 1923. It is observed as a holiday all over India as a mark of respect to India’s workforce.

In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is officially called Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day respectively, since it was on this day in 1960 that they attained statehood on linguistic-lines through the bifurcation of the then-Bombay state. The day is linked to labour movements for communist and socialist political parties. In Hindi, Labour Day is also known as Kamgar Din or Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas, Kamgar Divas in Marathi and Uzhaipalar Naal in Tamil.