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Presidency Club's platinum jubilee

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JULY 11. The Governor, P.S. Ramamohan Rao, today said that clubs offered an opportunity for people to socialise and relax but also cautioned against admitting "self-seekers" as members,

Participating in the platinum jubilee celebrations of Presidency Club, Egmore, the Governor said prestigious clubs had always been greatly sought after and people wait for several years, even decades, to become members. "Clubs give members an opportunity to meet friends whom we cannot meet everyday."

While members got a chance to make business acquaintances in the clubs, he said there were several "snooty" persons who wanted to join clubs. Clubs should be careful while admitting such members.

N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, said "fellowships and conditionalities" have always marked the history of clubs in India. Unlike fellowship, which is marked by a sense of egalitarianism, conditionalities created barriers. Exclusivity was a feature of many Indian clubs; some clubs were notoriously racist. He recalled that V.R. Krishna Iyer, former judge of the Supreme Court, was once refused entry into a club for wearing Indian clothes. Many clubs excluded women for a very long time. He appreciated the Presidency Club, which, he said was among the first to open its memberships for women. "I am happy to note that women are now committee members and contributing to the club," he said.

Noting how membership profile was changing, he said the new generation wanted to indulge more in health, fitness and sports.

Mr. Ramamohan Rao presented the first copy of a new members' directory to Mr. Ram. Among those who spoke were K. Satyendra Kumar, president of the club, and Ranjit Jacob, secretary.

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