Bengal Club, Kolkata, 'India's ''First Whites only'' club and World''''First Social club'' - Colonial India

When Bengal came under the full control of the East India Company, a new social order emerged in Calcutta, transforming the city into a major trading center and displacing traditional regional rulers. In 1827, the Calcutta United Service Club—later known as the Bengal Club—was established in a historic building constructed in 1813 on Esplanade West. Its first president, Lt. Col. The Hon. J. Finch, military secretary to Lord Combermere, led an initial roster of 141 members, including senior military officers, merchants, bank directors, and other East India Company officials. A new social order  had appeared on the horizon with roots in western culture

The club offered high-quality dining, entertainment, dancing, bars, a library, and a gymnasium within a refined setting that embodied English traditions and social manners.  The club’s architecture and ambiance combined contemporary comforts with the traditional grace of English society, creating a serene and elegant setting.

 Its colonial atmosphere was enriched by notable figures such as Lord Macaulay (1834–1838) and Governor-General Lord Metcalfe, who served as the club’s president for eleven years. Interestingly, the building was owned by the celebrated writer Kali Prasanna Singha, adding depth to its storied past.

Maintaining strict membership policies, the club initially admitted only “whites.” The club regulations were never diluted with respect to entry of non-whites.  The Bengal Club followed their policies and protocol regarding selection  and induction of new members.They were  subject to evaluation by a selection committee. This was to maintain the high standard of the club. 

When a Viceroy once proposed inviting his learned Indian friend,Sir Rajan Mookerjee, for a Christmas dinner, members insisted on a separate shamiana to accommodate him. This blatant racial discrimination eventually spurred the creation of the non-racial Calcutta Club in 1907. Only after India’s independence in 1947 did Indians gain unrestricted access.

Having witnessed pivotal events—from the Sepoy Mutiny and the Bengal famine to two World Wars, Indian independence, and the partition of Bengal—the club, which once boasted 1,600 members and attracted elite bachelors, remains a prestigious institution. Today, relocated between the Chatterjee International Building and Metro Rail Bhavan, the Bengal Club continues to serve diverse cuisines and host traditional celebrations, preserving its colonial charm and enduring historical legacy. The Bengal Club remains a symbol of colonial heritage while adapting gracefully to modern times. Equally it reminds the Indians on the racial slur and discrimination being faced by the forefathers in the past under the British rule both under the EIC as well as the british crown.

https://www.navrangindia.in/2016/12/the-bengal-club-first-social-club-in.html
 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Bengal-Club-The-best-of-183-year-old-heritage-on-show/articleshow/7114669.cms