Calcutta: In keeping with tradition befitting a 173-year-old institution, Ashit Mohan Luthra was elected unopposed as the Royal Calcutta Golf Club’s (RCGC’s) captain, for 2002-2003, Wednesday. He succeeds V.K.Singh.

As it turned out, the six general committee and 12 ballotting committee members were also elected unopposed, at the AGM.

Initially, of course, the ballotting committee was to have seen an election (as there were 14 candidates), but patron B.M.Khaitan’s impassioned plea to “uphold traditions” made two gentlemen withdraw.

While a majority of the members seemed to welcome that double withdrawal, quite a few told The Telegraph it ought to have been done “much earlier.”

Whatever, with difficulties on multiple fronts, the new bunch has its task cut out.