Continuing The Tradition

Over the years since its inception, the organisation has been responsible for sourcing numerous networking and business opportunities

For close to six decades, expats from India, living in the UAE, have had a place to go that reminds them of their homeland. That place has been the India Club, which was established in 1964. After the establishment of the UAE, the club relocated to a new location in 1974, which was gifted by the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, father of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Today, the organisation continues to thrive and exist as a testament to the strong bonds of brotherhood between the UAE and India.

India Club is a non-profit sharing organisation that currently has more than 8,000 members. Another feather in its cap is the fact that the club has become the first organisation anywhere to be awarded ISO 9001:2000 accreditation by Lloyds’ register for quality assurance. Furthermore, the club was awarded the DQAP in the tourism sector for the year 2008. It is also a member of the Dubai Services Excellence Scheme.

The organisation continues to grow, providing members access to a slew of events and activities, such as sports, entertainment, leisure facilities and a wide array of delicious culinary offerings. Even during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, India Club did not close its doors to its members. Infact, it was one of the first institutions to implement safety protocols that ensured that the premises of the club remained a safe and protected haven for its members. The hierarchy of the organisation comprises 14 founding members and 11 Board of Directors. In addition, the hierarchy also has a Chairman’s panel, which is made up of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and the CEO. The club also has a members Networking Centre (MNC) that has been created to provide networking opportunities for its members. In order to facilitate these meetings, the MNC also organises a number of seminars/ luncheons, which are attended by eminent personalities.

Through the decades, the club has hosted numerous events that have brought the community together. Some of these include hosting famous Indian singer Sonu Nigam on the occasion of Diwali in 2021, which drew a crowd of more than 3,000. Recently, as a prelude to the 76th Indian Independence celebrations coming up at India Club, a concert by the legendary Grammy Award winner and Padma Bhushan recipient Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt was held in July, which was very popular. Another successful event was an MNC luncheon with Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar, which was attended by around 350 people as they participated and interacted with the famous celebrity couple. Sunil Grover, from the Kapil Sharma Show, also attended the Annual Gala Dinner at the Club where close to a 1,000 people attended. These events are a testimony to India Club’s hard work and dedication in making sure that its members are satisfied

With some of the most advanced and latest state-of-the-art sports and health facilities comparable to the best in the world, India Club is the largest social club of the Indian diaspora. In addition to these, club members can also enjoy top class amenities in the sports categories, social amenities, entertainment, recreation and business promotion. Throughout the year, the club hosts a number of major and minor sports tournaments which are organised under the supervision of certified coaches and instructors. Most of the major as well as minor Indian festivals are also celebrated with full pomp and fervour so that the members can relive some of the nostalgic memories from back home.

For more than five decades, ever since it was established in 1964, India Club has continued its rich tradition of providing a touch of home to the sizeable Indian expat community in the UAE. In the process, the organisation continues to bring together like-minded individuals who have been generating revenue and creating opportunities for business over the course of many successful years.

• Supplements