Willingdon Sports Club
Encyclopedia
Royal Willingdon Sports Club is a sports club situated in the heart of Mumbai
. It was one of the first clubs to admit indigenous Indians prior to Partition
.
n Maharaja with him to the Bombay Gymkhana
, Byculla Club and Royal Yacht Club which then allowed only whites and hence decided to start a club that both Indians and Europeans could go to.
Permananent membership is closed except for members sons though temporary corporate memberships are open (mostly taken by expatriates). In the 1980's membership was temporarily opened but then later closed due to overwhelming demand. In 2007, membership was opened to members daughters as well, much to the casternation of some members, though a majority of committee members saw it fit to admit them as "younger people spend more money." Membership applications for "ordinary members" (members sons), corporate members and "services" (civil servants) are decided by the ballotting and disciplinary committee. Mid-Day
speculated that the WSC has an unspoken rule that does not allow film actors and racing professionals, including jockeys, trainers and their spouses to be individuals as "actors might create a nuisance, with their followers lingering around, and ruin the ambience and peace at the club...What is important is not the profession but the applicant's background. If the jockey is a syce's son who cannot speak seven words of English, he may be rejected."
ceremony. The event was attended by actor Gregory Peck
. One of the award winners, Bimal Roy
was not allowed entry into the club for the party as he was dressed in a dhoti
.
Rejected
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. It was one of the first clubs to admit indigenous Indians prior to Partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
.
History
It was founded in 1918 by Lord Willingdon, the then Governor of Bombay. Willingdon was refused permission to take an IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Maharaja with him to the Bombay Gymkhana
Bombay Gymkhana
Bombay Gymkhana ,, established in 1875, is one of the premiere gymkhanas in the city of Mumbai, India. It is located in the South Mumbai area and was originally built as a British-only club, designed by English architect, Claude Batley. The Gymkhana Grounds lie in the southern end of the Azad Maidan...
, Byculla Club and Royal Yacht Club which then allowed only whites and hence decided to start a club that both Indians and Europeans could go to.
Permananent membership is closed except for members sons though temporary corporate memberships are open (mostly taken by expatriates). In the 1980's membership was temporarily opened but then later closed due to overwhelming demand. In 2007, membership was opened to members daughters as well, much to the casternation of some members, though a majority of committee members saw it fit to admit them as "younger people spend more money." Membership applications for "ordinary members" (members sons), corporate members and "services" (civil servants) are decided by the ballotting and disciplinary committee. Mid-Day
Mid-day
Mid Day is an afternoon daily Indian compact newspaper. Editions in various languages are published in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Pune .-Establishment:...
speculated that the WSC has an unspoken rule that does not allow film actors and racing professionals, including jockeys, trainers and their spouses to be individuals as "actors might create a nuisance, with their followers lingering around, and ruin the ambience and peace at the club...What is important is not the profession but the applicant's background. If the jockey is a syce's son who cannot speak seven words of English, he may be rejected."
Amenities
The club has an 18 hole golf course, 6 tennis courts, squash and badminton courts, health club & a swimming pool. Non-sports amenities include a formal dining room, a semi-informal dining room, a bar, a garden cafe (where children are allowed in the evening), a bakery, a members' provision and wine shop, and a plant nursery.Events
A banquet was held there in 1954 to celebrate the first Filmfare awardsFilmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
ceremony. The event was attended by actor Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
. One of the award winners, Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy was one of the most acclaimed Indian film directors of all time. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films like Do Bigha Zamin, Parineeta, Biraj Bahu, Madhumati, Sujata, and Bandini, making him an important director of Hindi cinema...
was not allowed entry into the club for the party as he was dressed in a dhoti
Dhoti
The dhoti or pancha is the traditional men's garment in the in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A similar garment is worn in some rural areas of Punjab province in Pakistan, but the use is fast declining...
.
Alumni
- M.F. Husain, modern painter who was asked to leave the premises because he was barefoot (while club rules stipulate that proper attire and footwear must be worn (with "rubber chappals and bedroom slippers" specifically prohibited).
Rejected
- Pesi Shroff, Indian jockey and horse trainer who was controversially rejected.