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Social club in Kolkata, India

The Bengal Club is a social and business club in Kolkata, India. Founded in 1827, the club is the oldest social club in India. When Kolkata was the capital of British India, the club was considered to be the "unofficial headquarters of the Raj". The club is nowadays known for its old-world ambience and patronage among contemporary social and corporate elites, and is among a small number of Indian clubs featured in the elite list of the "Platinum Clubs of the World".

History

Works that provide detailed historical information about the club include A Short History of the Bengal Club 1827–1927, a book by Sir Hugh Rahere Panckridge (Barrister-at-law and later judge of the Calcutta High Court); The Bengal Club 1927–1970, a book by R.I. Macalpine (former officer of the Imperial Forest Service); A History of The Bengal Club(1970–2000), a booklet by Arabinda Ray (former club president and senior corporate executive); and The Bengal Club in History, a book edited by academic Malabika Sarkar.

19th century

Panckridge writes that the Bengal Club predates many important social clubs in London, though the model for the club was the Oriental Club in London (founded in 1824). The idea for the Bengal Club was conceived of in a meeting of notable Englishmen at the Town Hall of Calcutta in 1826, led by Lieutenant-Colonel (later Lieutenant-General) John Finch, son of the 4th Earl of Aylesford. Finch explained at the meeting that "nothing like a respectable hotel or coffeehouse has ever existed" in Calcutta, and "those who constitute the society of Calcutta have no place where they can spend an idle half hour agreeably"

The club was formally established on 8 February 1827, with the Viscount Combermere its first patron. In 1830, Lord William Bentinck, the last Governor of Bengal and the first Governor-Genera

They ransacked the celebrated,century-old Baker’s Building which houses the physics laboratory where scientists of the calibre of Jagadish Chandra Bose,Satyendra Nath Bose and Meghnad Saha once worked.

A student asked Narayanan why Trinamool leaders had denied their involvement in the incident. The governor replied: “You will have to wait till the investigation ends. It is usual practice for political parties to not acknowledge guilt. The chief minister and finance minister were assaulted in Delhi. And the political party involved in the incident denied responsibility.”

His comment on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s responsibility was more guarded. He stressed that upgrading Presidency was the chief minister’s “dream project”,and that she had been “devastated” by the 30-minute rampage on campus. “Chief Minister herself has expressed grief. This is a dream project for her and for us.”

Narayanan,who apologized more than once to the students,said that while he as chancellor had failed,“others too have to share the blame”.

Later,to another question from a student,he said: “Everything,science,technology,is getting better. Politics is the only thing that is getting coarser.”

The attack on the university,a centre of excellence,was a “blot”,he said. On the alleged molestation of women on campus,he said,“We believed West Bengal was the safest place for girls and women. But I don’t know what happened to that culture.”

The governor’s unprecedented interaction with the rattled Presidency community followed a request made to him by Vice-Chancellor Malabika Sarkar to visit the university to inspect the fallout of the vandalism. He promised a fair probe,and said that he had asked the Kolkata Police commissioner to ensure that the incident did not recur.

On allegations of “false cases” being lodged against students,Narayanan said an investigation would determine