In the run-up to the National Billiards and Snooker Championships to be held at The Bengal Rowing Club from January 3 to 24, the Rabindra Sarobar address has undergone quite a makeover. Club president Hemant Bangur and development committee chairman Piyush Bhagat, who is also vice-president of the West Bengal Billiards Association, took t2 on a tour around its refurbished premises.
“We took four months to put it all together. We followed the Japanese method… two months of planning. We anticipated all the problems that could come our way, like when we did the electricals, we knew we have to keep the club shut for two days. We have the National Billiards coming up in January and we are showcasing Calcutta in a sense. We wanted to show that Calcutta is not an old, dying city. It is a young and vibrant city. That was a driving factor” — Hemant Bangur, BRC president
The frontscape with fountains and a flower bed add a “resort-ish” feel, said Hemant Bangur. “It was an art deco building of the 1930s. After that so many new regulations came in and we kept adding to it. So, the whole facade became a disaster. What we did was cleaned up the whole thing, put all the utilities underground. We have also redone the cobbled-stone path,” added Mr President who took over the reins in July.
Hemant Bangur enjoys the winter sun from inside the glass box, the main attraction in the air-conditioned lounge area. “It was our president’s idea... it wasn’t coming within our budget, but he pushed for it. This adds the look of a five-star. We are naming it ‘Mr Hemant Bangur’s box’!” laughed Piyush Bhagat. For Bangur, it provides a “lovely interface” between the outdoors and indoors. “Imagine sipping a cup of coffee in the monsoon evening,” he smiled.
The renovated terrace now wears a glass look, offering one of the “best” views of The Lakes. “What is our biggest USP? The location beside The Lakes. So, we wanted to highlight this whole thing. When you are standing on the first floor terrace, you are not blocking out The Lakes. We have broken down the brick parapet walls and put glass railings, retaining the essential character of the building but improving upon the aesthetics. There is also a uniform colour palette of brown and warm beige. Small things have added to the look,” explained Bangur.
The blown-glass chandelier is one of the decor highlights of the club.
Youngsters play a round of carom in the pool room. “We are a 100 per cent teetotaller and vegetarian club. We want kids from the age of five to 15... to hang around here. That’s been our focus. After that, they have other priorities, but during those years, if we can give them the best sporting facilities... we have rowing, pool, billiards, squash, badminton, swimming, table tennis...” said Bangur.
A room with a view is this banquet extension, formerly the billiards room. “This room was all curtained and it made no sense. That’s when we thought of shifting to the other room where, in any case, there wasn’t any view of The Lakes and it perfectly serves the purpose of a billiards room,” said Bangur.
The chandeliers in this private dining room are eye-catching.
The committee room has a plush boardroom feel.
CHAMPSPEAK
Sourav Kothari, who will be looking to defend his billiards title:
It’s a dream come true for Calcutta and West Bengal Billiards Association. The National Billiards and Snooker Championships is happening in Calcutta after 17 years. Even 17 years back when it happened, it wasn’t done on this scale. Now the West Bengal Billiards Association is having to stop entries, that’s how huge an interest has been generated! It’s a record... 100 from Bengal alone registering for the qualifying round... it’s a huge thing for the sport. This is going to do the sport a world of good here. This is not just a championship... it’s your ticket to qualify for all the international events. The top eight of the country play to qualify for those big events. I am happy that this sport is going to get a huge facelift in Calcutta.
I have stopped taking pressure. It doesn’t work for me. Even when I won the Asian Billiards Championship (in June 2014), I told myself that I have nothing to lose. So, no pressure, but yes, of course, I would like to win. This is my backyard. I am training here all the time. I’ll have the home support.
Categories
Billiards & Snooker
Sub-junior (boys and girls); junior (boys and girls); senior (men’s and ladies)
Top names expected to turn out at BRC
World Champion Pankaj Advani, who will be is defending his snooker title
Alok Kumar
Dhruv Sitwala
Rupesh Shah
Vidya Pillai
Suniti Damani
Nita Kothari (Sourav’s mom, who, has recently won the bronze billiards medal in the World Championship)
“It was a dream which has come true with the help of these two gentlemen (Bangur and Bhagat) and my team which consists of Manoj Kothari, Debasish Mukhopadhyay, Prakash Mehrotra, Anil Poddar, Ravi Goenka. I was worried, ‘kaun ayega’... we never expected more than 900 entries. Initially we had thought of putting 10 tables... Now we have to gear up for this... meet people’s expectations” — Pradip Kumar Saraogi, president of West Bengal Billiards Association.
Bangur takes aim in the new billiards room, a part of the sports arena, as Bhagat looks on. “These tables are our heritage tables... players who have played here have said that it’s one of the finest tables across the country,” said Bangur. The aim was to go for a swanky look. “The room has been refurbished and the tables shifted from a different room,” said Bhagat, who has been playing at BRC for the last 43 years.
Step out of the squash court and you step into the badminton court with a “renovated cushion-y flooring”.
A young one enjoys his Sunday table tennis. “We want these kids to come to the club. Rowing and eating was what people associated BRC with. Once we started developing the facilities... prioritising it, this place is buzzing with activities,” said Bangur, whose wish list includes a tennis court and a heated swimming pool.
Text: Saionee Chakraborty
Pictures: Chanchal Ghosh
