Return to GVPedia

Thursday 17 May 2012

100, Going Strong

 Century Club Bar

 

A truly Indian club started by distinguished Indians and fostered by royalty, the Century Club is a tribute to the engineers, architects and government officials who made the erstwhile Mysore State the most progressive in the country and laid the foundation for the growth of Karnataka state.

 

Conceived by the visionary engineer and Bharat Ratna recipient Sir M. Visvesvaraya in 1917, the club was meant to offer "a common meeting place for people and profit by meeting with leading men from beyond the state who might be visiting Bangalore".

Sponsored By

Black Dog Logo

Contact Us

Tel: +91 80 2224 0650

 

centuryclub@vsnl.net

Century Club Bangalore

Century Club Lawn

Unabashed and Unpretentious

Located in Cubbon Park, a landmark garden in the city, it derived its name 'Century', from the number of members it expected to have. Today it has more than ten times this number, who are enjoined to observe its founder's request that members should conduct themselves with dignity. Sir Visvesvaraya, who had earlier formed the Deccan Club in Pune, was keen to promote what he felt was good in English society, particularly their orderly habits, punctuality, restraint in speech and social behaviour.

 

While tennis, golf and cricket were popular with the members of the club in earlier days, badminton is the most popular game now. With several technically qualified members on its rolls, the Century Club has continued to build various facilities. They managed to build the Diamond Jubilee Hall in just nine months; an achievement that would have surely gladdened the heart of the country's foremost architect and the club's founder.

 

A cool breeze wafts across a large manicured lawn into the patio bar; there could be a party happening in the conservatory. It could be time for a post work savoury snack and steaming cup of coffee or perhaps a drink before dining sumptuously. Contentment rules with quiet assurance here.

Stories of the Patrons

Prakash Padukone at the Century Club

 

Prakash Padukone, Badminton champion Indian National Champion, 1970-78, Winner of the Commonwealth Games, 1978, All England Badminton Championship, 1980.

 

"I have been a member of Century Club for over 30 years. In the early 70s, there were not too many badminton courts in the city, and Century Club was one of the few that had one. I practised and played many memorable matches at Century Club. Nowadays, I go there with my family, and we usually frequent musical events. The best part about the club is the location, and my favourite thing to do there is to just sit on the lawns."