Coal Miners Day is observed in India every May 4 and serves as a professional holiday for workers in the coal industry. The celebration highlights the significance of coal mining, which has historical roots dating back to the East India Company's commercial exploitation of coal reserves in Bengal in 1774. The industry grew significantly during the Industrial Revolution, with increased demand driven by steam locomotives and railways in the mid-19th century. By the mid-20th century, coal production had risen to 33 million metric tons annually, largely controlled by state-owned companies after nationalization in the early 1970s. Today, India ranks as the world’s second-largest coal producer, generating over 700 million metric tons each year, primarily for the electricity and steel industries. Coal Miners Day honors the contributions of coal miners to the economy and remembers those who have lost their lives or suffered from mining-related diseases.