After 113 Years of Prestige, Delhi Gymkhana Club Faces Eviction Notice

For more than a century, the Delhi Gymkhana Club has represented exclusivity, influence, and elite status in India’s capital. Founded in 1913 as the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club during British rule, the institution evolved into one of the most prestigious social clubs in the country after Independence, dropping the word “Imperial” but retaining much of its legacy and aura.

Located across nearly 27 acres on Safdarjung Road in New Delhi, the club was designed by renowned British architect Robert Tor Russell, known for designing Connaught Place and Teen Murti House. The club features world-class sporting and recreational facilities, including 26 grass tennis courts, squash courts, badminton facilities, billiards rooms, swimming pools, lounge bars, and residential cottages.

Membership at the Delhi Gymkhana Club has long been viewed as a mark of social prestige, often associated with senior bureaucrats, military officials, judges, diplomats, politicians, and influential business families. Entry into the club has historically been extremely difficult, with waiting periods stretching up to 20–30 years and access often influenced by recommendations, social standing, and family legacy.

The club has also faced criticism over the years for allegedly preserving a colonial-era mindset and exclusivity. In 2020, the National Company Law Tribunal reportedly remarked that the institution continued to reflect an “imperial mindset” serving privileged elites.

Despite controversies, the Delhi Gymkhana Club remains one of India’s most sought-after institutions. However, after 113 years of prominence, the club now finds itself at a crossroads following an eviction notice from the Centre — marking what many see as the possible end of an era in Delhi’s social and power circles.

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