The Origin
The Benares club is the oldest Club in Northern India and was first established on this site in 1848 by the British civil and army officers. The early records of it’s historical Memorandum of Association date back to 1847/48 and show the existence of squash/racket/cricket courts, a swimming pool, a library a heritage club house building, a bar and a cricket field. Letter in 05.02.1898 the Benares Club was further in corporated as a company. Today the Club is a Non Government/Not for profit public limited company under Section 8 of the Companies Act. Initially it was restricted to the civil and military Officers but opened up to the prominent Indian citizen of Benares around the early 1920s. In 1925 a long lease of the land was granted which later was modified into a Deed of Sale of Land on 27th of July 1935 for building purposes with another long lease of remaining area in July 1935 in favour of the Club by the Secretary of State for India in Council. Many historical personalities have visited and many prominent Officers and citizens served as it’s office Benares. This club through the last 170 years has been the centre of cultural/sports activity and interaction in the holy city of Varanasi. Today it stands as a modern community and sports centre with a membership of almost 1500 elite citizens and the top rank of the Civil and military Administration. The Benares Club today boasts of excellent infrastructure in the form of a non Government/not for profit section 8 Limited company for community service and it’s Managing Committee elected every year run on a dynamic constitution. It’s private premises and only for members facilities are a life line for many.