Indian patriotic hub in UK battles for life

Historic India Club in London could be demolished

The India Club in London, a hub for Indian nationalists in the UK during the independence movement in the 1930s and 40s, is fighting for its survival after plans emerged for the building to be demolished internally.

The Club has its roots in the India League, which campaigned for Indian independence in Britain, and is located near India House – the Indian High Commission in the UK.

It has functioned as an Indian restaurant and hangout for Indian journalists and intellectuals since 1946, with former Indian prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi among its guests over the years.

Now, the leaseholders of the six-storey Edwardian building it is housed in at 143-145. The Strand in the heart of London have discovered a planning application made by the landlord with the local Westminster Council to convert the interiors of the building into a modern hotel establishment.

“This is a tragedy. We have done everything possible to retain the ethos and spirit of the place. We intend to build as much community support as possible to preserve this piece of Indian history,” said Yadgar Marker, the director of Gold sand Hotels Limited trading as The Strand Continental Hotel – which houses the India Club.

Parsi-origin Marker has been running the establishment with his wife, Freny, since they rescued it from ruin in 1997. He’s campaigning for it to receive listed status from English Heritage as an important landmark to save it from extinction. The campaign has already received some high-profile backing, with Congress MP and author Shashi Tharoor speaking out in favour of a Club co-founded by his late father, journalist Chandran Tharoor, along with V K Krishna Menon – independent India’s first high commissioner to the UK.

It is located on the first floor of the Strand Continental, a 26-room hotel in high demand as a low-cost option in London for travellers.

This is a tragedy. We have done everything possible to retain the ethos and spirit of the place. We intend to build as much community support as possible to preserve this piece of Indian history. — Yadgar Marker, Director, Gold sand Hotels Limited