Coal, as the backbone of our economy, has weaved an intricate and complex web of socio-economic relations that stand threatened as India transitions towards a more sustainable energy system. This project is a step forward towards taking a stock of these threats and vulnerabilities in the form of lost livelihoods and imperiled social security. It aims to bring the trade unions and the coal communities to the forefront by tapping into their perceptions on how to make this transition just for them. Simultaneously, as the foundational research activity of the Just Transition Research Centre (JTRC), the project plans to bring diverse actors together to promote a just and democratic discussion to arrive at a policy-relevant and community-centric just transition framework for India at the national, state and regional level.