It’s not every day that you walk into a heritage club and there’s a notice up for Zumba classes that says, “All members, their children and grandchildren are welcome.” But that’s how Calcutta Club, now in its 106th year, is addressing the needs of the young and the young-at-heart. A chat with the club’s three-month-old president Kunal Roy Chowdhury, a member since 1992…

You’re the new president but an old and familiar face for many!

(Laughs) That’s because I was the F&B chairman at Royal Calcutta Golf Club for four years and then in 2006 I joined the committee of Calcutta Club. I was a very sporty person and even before joining the committee, I would be coordinating all the sporting events. So when I was given the portfolio of food by then Calcutta Club president Kalyan Chowdhury, I was a little surprised, also because food is a senior portfolio. I told Kalyan, ‘In the first year itself you have given me food! I had hoped to start with something easier because members will expect a lot!’ But that year was one of the best committee years with something happening all the time… an Italian dinner on Saturday, something else on Sunday…

What are your early memories of Calcutta Club?

My association with the club started in 1964 when I was nine. My father was a member and we used to come to the club in the evenings for a swim. Children were not allowed in the main building so we would enter from the back gate on Gokhale Road, go for a swim, order our favourite wafers and ketchup — in those days made by the club kitchen and not pre-packaged — and be off! The aura of the club was something else… the gentry, the service, the staff uniforms… those were the days! We want to bring back some of the past glory.

How do you plan to do that?

We have two key areas that we would like to focus on — food and services. The continental food at Calcutta Club used to be the talk of the town but not so in the last few years. So as soon as we hopped on, we got on board a retired executive chef Peter Gomes who is doing a great job! For our Bar Nights, he’s introduced fun fusion food like Chicken Sausage Fritters and Prawns Wrapped in Bekti. We’ve also created a 22-member Ladies Advisory Committee that will look into various club operations.

What are the biggest events on your social calendar?

Calcutta Club’s two biggest events on the social calendar have always been the International Evening and the Bakery Carnival. And then the much talked about National Debate, in association with The Telegraph. Since our members are members of other clubs as well, we prepared the entire year’s calendar in June so that members can plan their year out.

Have rules relaxed at Calcutta Club over the years?

Yes and no. Earlier children above eight were allowed into the club on Thursdays and Sundays. Now they are allowed every day until 6pm. There are around 45 lady members of the total of 4,000. Jeans are allowed till 6pm but round-neck T-shirts and kurta-pyjamas are not.

What according to you is the biggest challenge?

At present, I would say the rising prices of food products! But unless we have our back against the wall, we don’t increase food prices. We are a member-driven club and not commercial. In fact, for the first time in any club, we’re started a Happy Hour Tea Time where from 5pm-6.30pm a cup of tea for any member will be on the house, courtesy Goodricke!

It’s an honour to be a club president but also a challenge. In this club, there are two segments of members — senior members who have demands in sync with their age, and younger members (30-45) whose demands are different. It’s a balancing act.

QUICK TAKE

• First thing you do when you enter the club: Check my emails and respond to every single one.

• Favourite part of Calcutta Club: The bridge and billiard rooms.

• Earliest memory in the bridge room: Walking in and seeing stalwarts like Russi Mody and Mr Swarup of Paharpur playing bridge. In those days, we had four-five bridge tables, now down to two. Every weekend, on Saturday and Sunday mornings, we would play snooker.

• Menu favourites: Grilled Fish and Chicken Steak.

• Being from the tea industry, you like your cup of tea… Darjeeling, with no milk and no sugar!