The India Club, a historic club in London with its early roots in the Indian independence movement, is to close its doors next month after losing a protracted battle against closure.
The club, which was founded in 1921 by a group of Indian nationalists, was a hub for the independence movement and played a key role in the struggle for Indian self-rule. The club was also a popular gathering place for Indian students and professionals living in London.
The landlords of the India Club in London have given notice to the club that it will be closed and turned into a hotel. The club, which has been in operation for over 100 years, was a popular gathering place for Indian students and professionals living in London. It was also a venue for historic gatherings, such as the meeting of Indian independence leaders in 1942.
The club's owners, Yadgar Marker and his daughter Phiroza, tried to save the club through the ‘Save India Club’ campaign. However, the landlords have said that the club is no longer financially viable and that it is time for it to close.
“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 added. Phiroza, who has been assisting her father at the India Club since childhood, describes the club as a community space for Indo-British groups as well as a home-away-from-home for first-generation immigrants from the Indian subcontinent for over 70 years.
The India Club has been a restaurant near the Indian High Commission on the Strand since 1946. It's on the first floor of a hotel called the Strand Continental Hotel, which has 26 rooms.
The India Club originally came from a group called the India League. This group worked to help India become independent in Britain. The people who started the club include Krishna Menon, who was the first Indian High Commissioner in the UK. After India became independent and was divided, the India Club became an important spot for the fast-growing South Asian community in Britain. It started a long time ago as a place where young Indian workers could have meals, talk about politics, and make plans for what they wanted to do.
For a long time, the India Club has been known for its tasty Indian food like butter chicken and masala dosas. It has been a special place for the Asian community in London.
Congress Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor, shared his sadness about the news of the closure. Tharoor used social media to show how disappointed he was about the historic place shutting down. He also mentioned that his father, Chandran Tharoor, had a connection to the club. A lot of people on social media said that an important part of the history between Britain and India is going away with the closure of this place.
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