Delhi’s Roshanara Club opens doors to non-members, but old-timers not happy

Nervous but excited, the three boys — all with tennis kit bags on their shoulders — entered the reception area, and shyly looked around, glancing at posters detailing the sports facilities on offer. The boy with short, cropped hair then asked the receptionist about how they could become members and play regularly, while the other two took in the sights, occasionally prodding their chosen spokesperson to ask a fresh question.

The boys were at Roshanara Club, a 102-year-old club in north Delhi that was until very recently reserved only for “members and their guests”.

Established in 1922, the club was managed by an executive council and was exclusive to its members and their guests. After its two leases expired in 2012 and 2017, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) sealed the premises in September last year. The authority then renovated the facilities, and in January this year, threw it open for the general public, opting for a “pay and play” model to attract clientele from across the city.

People can now book hourly slots for tennis, basketball, badminton, table tennis, football, cricket, or even the joggers’ park — all for varying rates. And the move has been a resounding success — the swimming pool, which started operations in May, has had all its slots completely booked from the first day.

“We have tried to restore as many sports facilities as possible and are continuously adding to the list. In many sports, we have already started coaching also at Roshanara Club. The swimming pool turned out to be a great success from the time we started it in May. There are 40 slots at a time for one hour, which has been nearly full every day since May,” said a DDA official.

16-year-old Aadarsh Singh, who came from Karol Bagh with his two friends to play tennis, said initially, he was nervous about coming as he had heard that outsiders are not allowed here. “But some friends told us that they now come here to play cricket anyone can walk in and play for a small price. It’s far from home, so we are not sure if we can come regularly. But we definitely wanted to come and see it. Some of the great cricket stories of India started here. It’s fascinating to be here, almost how you feel in a museum,” the teenager said.

A storied past

Roshanara Club’s origins hark back to pre-independence times when the British bureaucrats and the emerging Indian elite joined hands in 1922 to form the 22-acre Roshanara Club on the western side of Roshanara Bagh.

This is the spot where the Board of Cricket Control Of India (BCCI) was ideated and formed in 1928. The club also hosted the first Test match ever played in the country — India vs England in 1931.

According to the club’s website, viceroys and governor generals of pre-independent India were some of the visitors to the club, while regulars included former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former Presidents Dr Rajendra Prasad, Zakir Hussain, and VV Giri.

Several Indian cricketers, including Kapil Dev and Virat Kohli, have played on the grounds, and iconic films such as Gandhi have been shot on the premises.

DDA officials said Roshanara Club Ltd, which operated the club, illegally occupied the land after the lease expired in 2012 and 2017, and legal proceedings are currently underway to recover damages. Additionally, the officials said, the land was given for public use as a club, but the memberships were not open to the public, and the membership criteria also remained unclear.

“It was found that the historic and iconic Club, land for which was leased for public purposes, had off late become the private property of certain individuals. The club building and the premise were in a state of total disrepair due to lack of maintenance and upkeep and the land allowed to be encroached by the management was housing jhuggis,” a statement issued by DDA earlier said.

Attracting visitors from across Delhi

According to the staff, now that the club has been thrown open to the general public, they have been getting visitors from across the city, including from far-flung areas such as Anand Vihar and Dwarka.

“I was visiting a friend here and he said that we could go play table tennis as the club is now open for everyone. This is a great step as this area has hardly any other facility where people can go to play sports. The old-world charm of the place only adds to the interest of first-time visitors. The sports facilities are also fine for all age groups,” said Karan Singh, a student who came from Dwarka to meet his friend.

The new visitors say that they come not just for the sports, but also to enjoy the slice of history associated with the club. “I definitely wanted to come and see it — some of the great cricket stories of India started here. It’s fascinating to be here, almost how you feel in a museum,” a 16-year-old said, declining to share his name.

Harvinder Baweja, a resident of Ashok Nagar who pays ₹100 for the occasional morning walk with his wife at Roshanara Club, said, “My father was a state-level cricketer and he used to talk about going in only twice when he played matches. He would say that the pitch had the spirit of home, unlike most big stadiums now. I don’t get much time for sports from my work schedule, but the jogging track here is pretty nice for the morning walks that I have started visiting regularly now.”

Members complain of lost charm

The loss of exclusivity and privilege associated with the Roshanara Club is one thing, but members now complain that the premises are also being poorly maintained.

Sonu Bakshi, who has been a member for over 30 years said the once-elite club now resembles any other government-run facility — he does not mean that as a compliment.

“DDA had promised to make this place better, but the situation has only worsened. Most facilities are shut, including many bathrooms. The maintenance is negligible, and the staff are not qualified in the sports or hospitality business. They (DDA) have just ruined the century-old legacy of this club,” said Bakshi, a businessman who lives in Mukherjee Nagar.

A senior DDA official said that the authority is gradually making repairs.

“We intend to run Roshanara Club like our other sports facilities across the city. With the amount of space available, there is a lot of scope for planning various activities. We have also just floated requests to hire sports coaches for different facilities. We are just waiting for the court cases to be disposed of, after which new equipment will be bought and we will look at how the restaurant and club area can be refurbished and opened to the public,” the official said.

The members, however, are not impressed.

“Most members are forced to pay for using the sports facilities — even though they have paid their membership fees. Our court hearings are still going on, and we hope the club is returned to the executive body for better maintenance. DDA should try to preserve, not erase, this piece of history,” said Rajan Manchanda, former general secretary of the club.

Even visitors feel the brunt of the lack of facilities.

Tanu Singh, who came from Mayur Vihar with her husband and 10-year-old son, said, “I was hoping that we could sit in the restaurants while our son plays cricket, but the eating spots are yet to open.”

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