The Bombay, Baroda and Central India (BB&CI) Railway was the forerunner of Western Railway and was built in the mid-19th century to connect the hinterlands of Gujarat and Central India to the port of Mumbai. At our Online Talk #TracksOfToil, author and professor Dr Madhumita Bandyopadhyay explores the crucial yet often overlooked role of Indian workers in building and operating the BB&CI Railway during the colonial period. She examines how the railway became a symbol of both industrial progress and social inequality, and highlights the organisation of labour, working conditions, and the emergence of early labour consciousness. She reflects on how these experiences shaped India’s modern workforce and contributed to the nation’s industrial and social transformation.

About the speaker:

Prof. Dr Madhumita Bandyopadhyay is the Vice Principal and Head of History Department at Smt P N Doshi Women’s College, Ghatkopar, under SNDT University. With over 30 years of teaching experience, she has presented 42 research papers, published 39 works, and authored Contemporary World History. She chairs SNDT’s Board of Studies for Foundation Courses and specialises in colonial, transport, and educational history.