Calcutta Club
Encyclopedia
Calcutta Club is a social club located on Lower Circular Road in Calcutta India
. It was established in 1907 and the first president of the club was H H The Maharajah of Cooch Behar.
Although not the oldest private members club in the city, it is notable because it was formed at a time when the existing Bengal Club
only admitted whites as members. Lord Minto
, the Viceroy of India at the time, had wished to invite Rajen Mookerjee
to dine at the Bengal Club and, when the discriminatory policy was thus exposed, a decision was taken to form a club with a membership policy not dictated by race.
The Calcutta Club remains a popular social hub for the wealthy in the city. The club has historically restricted membership to men. However, this was changed in 2007 and the club started admitting women members.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was established in 1907 and the first president of the club was H H The Maharajah of Cooch Behar.
Although not the oldest private members club in the city, it is notable because it was formed at a time when the existing Bengal Club
Bengal Club
Located in Kolkata, India, The Bengal Club was opened in 1827 as the Calcutta United Service Club. The club's first President was Lt. Col. The Hon. J. Finch...
only admitted whites as members. Lord Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto
Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the eighth since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 17th.-Early life and career:Minto was born in London, the...
, the Viceroy of India at the time, had wished to invite Rajen Mookerjee
Rajen Mookerjee
Sir Rajen Mookerjee, KCIE, KCVO was a pioneering Indian industrialist.-Early life:...
to dine at the Bengal Club and, when the discriminatory policy was thus exposed, a decision was taken to form a club with a membership policy not dictated by race.
The Calcutta Club remains a popular social hub for the wealthy in the city. The club has historically restricted membership to men. However, this was changed in 2007 and the club started admitting women members.
List of notable people barred from entering the club
- M. F. Husain
- Ananda ShankarAnanda ShankarAnanda Shankar was a Bengali musician best known for fusing Western and Eastern musical styles. He was married to Tanusree Shankar.-Early life:...
- ShuvaprasannaShuvaprasannaShuvaprasanna is an Indian artist, born in Kolkata in 1947. He graduated from the Indian College of Arts in 1969. He was an active member of the 'Calcutta Painters' group. He married to artist Shipra Bhattacharya....