DELHI: Amid the hustle and bustle of Partition, on a poignant evening on August 6, 1947, a large gathering of military officers who had fought side by side in the British Indian Army met one last time in New Delhi. Some among them were preparing to move on and serve in the armed forces of the newly created nation of Pakistan. The occasion was a farewell party hosted by “The Officers of the Armed Forces of the Dominion of India” and the venue was the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club on Safdarjung Road--now known as the Delhi Gymkhana Club (DGC), the property is now on the verge of extinction.
Narrating details of the send-off party in their book "Freedom at Midnight", American historian Larry Collins and French author Dominique Lapierre described the event as the “most touching farewell”.
Invitation was by engraved cards sent by ‘The Officers of the Armed Forces of the Dominion of India’ inviting guests to a ‘Farewell to Old Comrades Reception in honour of the Officers of the Armed Forces of the Dominion of Pakistan’, they wrote.
“The most touching farewell of all took place on the lawns and in the grand ballroom of an institution that once had been one of the most privileged sanctuaries of India’s British rulers, the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club…An air of ‘overwhelming sadness and unreality’ overlaid the evening, one Indian remembered…In the ballroom the flashing rainbow colours of their women’s saris sparkled through the dim lights,” the author duo noted.
Their book chronicles in detail the series of events surrounding the Partition of India during the final years of British rule.
The military officers reminisced about the ordeals and joys of careers spent together in uniform.
Field Marshal Cariappa at the farewell
As the evening drew to a close, then Brigadier Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, who later became the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Army, addressed the gathering.
According to the book, Field Marshal Cariappa, who was the first Indian officer to command a battalion--the 1st Battalion of the 7th Rajput Regiment-- climbed to the raised dance platform and called for silence.
“We are here to say au revoir (goodbye) and only au revoir, because we shall meet again in the same spirit of friendship that has always bound us together ... .We have shared a common destiny so long that our history is inseparable. We have been brothers. We will always remain brothers. And we shall never forget the great years we have lived together,” the book quotes him saying.
Referring to the farewell gathering, historian and author Swapna Liddle said it was held on August 6, 1947, when officers of the armed forces of the Dominion of India bade farewell to their old comrades from the armed forces of the Dominion of Pakistan.
“Around Partition, a large number of officials were moving to Pakistan, and farewell gatherings were held at the Gymkhana Club. They regarded one another as fellow officers. So, for them, Partition was also tinged with sadness because they were losing those bonds. The entire service structure was being divided into two,” said Liddle, author of "Connaught Place and the Making of New Delhi".
Since that 1947 evening, the club has come a long way and witnessed countless celebrations. Much like that historic farewell, the once most sought-after recreational venue and heritage structure may soon bid adieu to the city after the notice of the Land and Development Office (L&DO), of the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) of “re-entry and resumption of the premises”.
The Government has decided to revoke club's lease and asked the management of one of the oldest clubs in the country to hand over the premises, standing on a sprawling 27.3-acre plot, by June 5.
The justification is that the land is required for “strengthening and securing defence infrastructure” and for “other vital public security purposes.” The property is adjacent to the Prime Minister’s residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, earlier known as Race Course Road.
Though nothing has been made official yet, the club is likely to be razed to make way for new construction. Following this, the legacy of the more than 110-year-old institution may also soon come to an end.
Beginning of the institution
The club was established in 1913 at Coronation Park, close to the Civil Lines area in north Delhi. The need for such a facility arose after the decision to shift the capital from Kolkata to Delhi in 1911. A venue was required where civil servants and military officers could pursue leisure activities including sports, dining and dancing. Thus, the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club came into being, with Spencer Harcourt Butler, a member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, serving as its first president. He remained associated with the club’s management and refurbishment until the 1930s.
When New Delhi was developed around Raisina Hill, land on Safdarjung Road was allotted for the relocation of the club. The perpetual lease of the plot was signed in 1928.
“The Gymkhana Club was made initially for very elite British officials. At its present location, it was opened in 1929. The club was only for British officials and other British. No Indian was allowed. It was only in 1945, a couple of years before independence, that they started admitting Indians into the club,” said Liddle.
The present club building was constructed in the early 1930s. The architect for the building was Robert Tor Russell.
Russell, a British architect, also designed two prominent landmarks in Delhi--Connaught Place and the Commander-in-Chief’s residence, now known as Teen Murti Bhavan. The latter later served as the residence of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and now houses the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya.
Architect of the club premises
According to the DCG portal, Russell was keen that the design of the new structure should complement the bungalows that were coming up right across the road. “Russell remained involved in the Club’s management and refurbishment until the1930s as a member of the general committee. The coming up of a new structure that was contracted to one of the two big contractors of New Delhi, Sir Teja Singh Malik, saw the main building take shape with a gravel path in front and a swimming bath close to Safdarjung Road,” the portal states.
The swimming pool and squash courts were added in the 1930s after Lady Willingdon, wife of the then Viceroy Lord Willingdon, provided financial aid of Rs 21,000 to facilitate the construction.
“The viceroy’s wife Lady Willingdon was having a hard time finding a place to swim. She had to use pools in houses of wealthy Indians in New Delhi. She was not happy about it and was getting restless with constructors working in the viceregal House. She finally found a way out and before her husband’s term ended she gifted Rs 21,000 for the construction of the swimming pool,” the website reads.
When the country gained Independence in 1947, the word ‘Imperial’ was dropped and Sir Usha Nath Sen became the first Indian President of the club.
In the recent years, the Club has been caught up into controversies following the allegations of corporate mismanagement, preferential membership, and financial irregularities.
In recent years, the club has been embroiled in controversies following allegations of corporate mismanagement, preferential membership practices and financial irregularities.
In April 2022, the National Company Law Tribunal allowed the Central Government to take over the management of the prestigious club, nearly two years after the Centre filed a plea alleging violations of company law by the institution.
Since then, the club has been administered by government-appointed directors.