New Management for Darjeeling Gymkhana Club

Darjeeling: Darjeeling Gymkhana Club has got a new management.

Only two executive members of the previous managing committee of the club have made it to the new panel.

Of them, Uttam Kumar Pradhan has been elected the new chairman while Tashi Pencho Lama will remain a member of the managing committee.

Pintoo Agarwal has been elected the new vice-chairman of the committee while Roshan Kanth Ghisingh has been appointed the new honorary secretary.

The change follows close on the heels of a scandal that rocked the premier club last month when three of its members were caught having sex with a woman in the card room.

Not only were the accused expelled, but 14 members of the club’s managing committee resigned soon after, paving the way for the formation of the new body today.

For the first time in five years, no elections were held to the committee. Since only 14 of the 300 members had answered to a club notice asking for nominations to the 14-member managing committee, all them were selected, leaving little room for elections to be held.

The formalities were completed at a special general meeting convened late in the evening by Col (retd) T.K. Moquetan, who had been heading the interim management of the club following the “dissolution of the House” on May 23. The meeting was chaired by Pronoy Chand Mahatab, the vice-president of the club.

M.K. Brahmin, the assistant secretary of the club, said in a statement: “All 14 members were elected unopposed. Only two executive members of the previous committee could make it to the new panel.”

Though the earlier chairman, Mamanchand Agarwal, was present at the meeting, he did not talk to journalists.

On the other hand, Pradhan, the new chairman, said the committee would work towards “upholding the social responsibility of the club”.

“The panel will also gear up to observe the centenary celebrations of the club in fashion,” said Pradhan.

The club was established in 1908.

Sources said the new panel will call a meeting some time next week to form sub-committees to smoothen the functioning of the club in the days to come.

Moquetan, who is also one of the vice-presidents of the club, said during his address that he hoped the new committee would “make efforts to foster friendship and a spirit of camaraderie among the members of the club”.

Located in the Mall area near the Raj Bhavan, membership of the club comes for a one-time fee of Rs 35,000.

The governor is the ex-officio president.

Source: The Telegraph