A piece of history getting obliviated: India Club in London to close down on September 17
India Cub in London, with its early roots in the Indian independence movement as a hub for nationalists including Krishna Menon, will shut down on September 17, 2023, after losing a protracted battle against its closure.
Proprietors Yadgar Marker and his daughter Phiroza who have been running the historic institution for the past 26 years launched a "Save India Club" appeal a few years back but have now announced its impending closure.
«It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the closure of the India Club, with our last day open to the public on September 17,» they said.
Created as a seat for the India League, the club served as a rendezvous point for various Indian organizations in London like The Indian Journalist Association, the Indian Workers Association, and the Indian Socialist Group who once met at this historic institution located at 143-144 Strand, London. Its membership boasts names like Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, and Lady Mountbatten, the last viceroy's wife.
The Daily Telegraph described the club as more than a mere dining establishment; a delightful time capsule transporting visitors to the vibrant aura of Calcutta in the 1960s.
The restaurant does not conform to contemporary trends of elegance or sophistication, but therein lies its magic.
If ever a restaurant were a cult classic, the India Club would certainly fit the bill.
Established in 1951 by Krishna Menon, India's first High Commissioner to London, the India Club carried a profound mission. It was born as a symbol of post-independence Indo-British camaraderie.
Author Smita Tharoor, daughter of Chandran Tharoor, one of the founding members of the club said: «I'm bereft of words.
I am deeply unhappy, sad, and nostalgic. My
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