DUBAI India Club Dubai, one of the oldest expat community platforms in the city, celebrated its 51st year amid much gaiety this week.
Established in 1994 with a handful of Indians, the club has over 2,500 families as members today, their turnout at an anniversary concert on December 1 making an emphatic statement.
A coffeetable book titled Striding Ahead was brought out by the club to mark its 50-year journey.
Club chairman Ram Buxani recalled how the club got its new building complex on land donated by the Rulers at a time when the region was facing the negative impact of the Gulf War. “There was a lot of uncertainty in the region but we decided to build this Taj Mahal, so we would give something to the community.”
He said the club’s rapid expansion since has made it a happening place. With an annual membership fee of Dh3,000, its low prices continue to make it affordable while enabling the Indian diaspora to stay connected. He said the club’s sports facilities are very popular. The club will be refurbishing the Aangan restaurant and adding new features, including a full-fledged auditorium, in the near future.
Club general manager Bharath Charchara said: “We host around 140 events a year. Thousands of families attend these events. This week’s concert by Amit Kumar and Sumeet Kumar, sons of the legendary Kishore Kumar, was no exception.”
