The Sind Club is the exclusive members-only club located in
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
,
Sindh, Pakistan. It was started in 1871 and is one of the oldest clubs in Pakistan.
Name spelling
Although the province of Sind is now spelled Sindh, the Sind Club still uses the old spelling given by its founding members.
History
The construction of club was started in 1883.
It was inaugurated in 1876.
The club was designed by Colonel Le Mesurier.
Design
A competition was held to select the best design for the club.
Richard Burton
Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...
had warned against the use of Gothic architecture for the club building. Having seen
Frere Hall he had said: "the Veneto-Gothic, so fit for Venice, so unfit for Karachi. It is to be hoped that the new club will not adopt Veneto-Gothic." Since limited funds were available for the new club building, a design prepared by a committee member, Le Mesurier, was chosen. When completed, Le Mesurier's building was considered a "princely residence". The first of the Sind Club buildings, which now houses the ladies bar and the dining room, was designed in a southern Italian style. The building suits comfortably in its spacious grounds, its facade employing simple arcading which is composed of semi-circular openings on the ground and first floors, and terminates in pitched roofs.
The other blocks, which were constructed later, generally follow the Indo-Italianate style of the original structure. The club buildings are provided with a generous back set from the road, creating a feeling of exclusiveness and inaccessibility, even though the architectural style is informal and does not rely on pediments and porticoes for effect.
Gentlemen's Club
The Sind Club was exclusively a men's club. Women were only allowed in to attend a ladies' dinner held every two months and the celebrated Sind Club Ball organized once a year.
Until 1950 when the Prime Minister of Pakistan lived across the road, the Sind Club was still used almost exclusively by Europeans.
The sign "Women and dogs not allowed" was removed only a day after
Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah took his oath as Governor-General of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
on August 14, 1947.
Native membership
The first Pakistani members joined the club in 1952. These included
Syed Wajid Ali
Syed Wajid Ali ( ur, سید واجد علی) (20 December 1911 – 14 June 2008) was a leading industrialist of Pakistan who is also known for his services to the Olympic Movement. He became the President of Pakistan Olympic Association in 19 ...
, Colonel
Iskander Mirza
Sahibzada Iskander Ali Mirza ( bn, ইস্কান্দার আলী মির্জা; ur, ; 13 November 1899 – 13 November 1969), , was a Pakistani Bengali general officer and civil servant who was the first President of Pakista ...
and
Cowasjee Rustom Fakirjee.
[Celebrating 50 Years of Pakistani Membership at Sind Club, 2003] It took almost two decades before a Pakistani, Masud Karim, became president of the club in 1965. Since then, however, many of Pakistan's social elite have become members.
Female members
Although women are still not allowed to become members in their own right, they can enter and use the club facilities as wives, daughters and guests of members. In addition, a member's widow can continue using the club after the death of her spouse.
Facilities
Facilities at the Sind Club include a swimming pool; tennis and squash courts; a walking track; a billiards room; an outdoor barbecue; a full bakery; a sauna; guest rooms and a newly built fitness centre.
See also
*
List of India's gentlemen's clubs
Gentlemen's clubs in India were many brought by the British, however there are some made after the independence of India mainly as a legacy of the empire. They were mostly built in urban cities, like Kolkata (previously spelt Calcutta) anMumbai ...
References
External links
The Sind Club - Official website
{{coord missing, Karachi
Clubs and societies in Pakistan
Gentlemen's clubs in Pakistan
Sports clubs in Pakistan
Sports venues in Karachi
Heritage sites in Karachi
1883 establishments in British India