Calcutta Club, Calcutta, 1907

ক্যালকাটা ক্লাব, কলকাতা, ১৯০৭
Calcutta Club was established in 1907, and its first President was H. H. The Maharaja of Cooch Behar, Sir Nripendra Narayan. It is a social club located on Lower Circular Road in Calcutta, India. Over the last hundred years the Calcutta Club has carved out a unique niche in our social fabric. Conceived as a forum where the British and the Indians could meet as equals and understand each other better, the club soon surpassed these aims and became a true centre of bonhomie and warmth. This camaraderie is a hallmark of this institution. 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, founder of Martin & Co., 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, however, has historically restricted membership to men till very recent time.
This photograph of the Club building is from the photo-essay on Calcutta Club published in c2007 by Anirban Mitra as a tribute to the club’s 100 years of grandeur and its legacy, . See