The Indian National Congress held its first meeting on December 28, 1885, in Bombay, with 72 delegates, primarily lawyers and educators, attending. Organized by retired British civil servant A.O. Hume, it was intended as a peaceful channel for grievances. Key figures like Dadabhai Naoroji and W.C. Bonnerjee were present. The initial focus was on administrative issues and constitutional loyalty, with no avowed radicals or women participating in this moderate assembly.