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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Maroosha Muzaffar

Delhi’s most exclusive former ‘Imperial’ club has survived over 100 years – but now faces closure order

A car enters the Delhi Gymkhana Club, one of the oldest clubs in India, in New Delhi, 26 May 2026 - (Reuters)

The Indian government has abruptly terminated the lease of one of the country’s most elite and historic private members’ clubs, sparking a debate over its colonial history and the loss of a cultural institution.

The Delhi Gymkhana Club was founded in 1913 when India was under British rule and originally called the Imperial Delhi Gymkhana Club. London-born colonial administrator Spencer Harcourt Butler was the club’s first president, according to its website.

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