<p>Founded in the 1950s, the India Club - an iconic lounge-cum-restaurant and bar, located in London is shutting down next month. With early roots in the Indian independence movement, the shutting down is being regarded as the end of a chapter by its patrons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Proprietors Yadgar Marker and his daughter Phiroza who had been fighting to keep the restaurant going, even launching a "Save India Club" campaign previously, announced the impending closure last week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the closure of the India Club, with our last day open to the public on September 17,” they said.</p>

<p>“Since its opening over 70 years ago, the India Club has been a home-away-from-home for first-generation immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, as well as a community space for Indo-British groups,” said Phiroza, who has been helping out her father at the club since childhood.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-g20-presidency-weaving-inclusive-growth-583617"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;India's G20 Presidency: Weaving inclusive growth</strong></a></p>

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<p>Indian parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to lament the closure of the club as his father Chandan Tharoor was one of the founding members.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“As the son of one of its founders, I lament the passing of an institution that served so many Indians (and not only Indians) for nearly three-quarters of a century," posted Tharoor.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"For many students, journalists and travellers, it was a home away from home, offering simple and good quality Indian food at affordable prices as well as a convivial atmosphere to meet and maintain friendships,” he added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/delhi-offices-schools-shops-banks-to-be-shut-from-sept-8-10-for-g20-meet-628179"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Delhi offices, schools, shops, banks to be shut on Sept 8-10 for G20 meet</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>History of the club</strong></h2>

<p>Located on the first floor of the&nbsp;Hotel Strand Continental, the club was started by members of the India League, which was a Britain-based organisation that campaigned for India's independence in the 1900s. Former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is also believed to be one of the club's founding members.&nbsp;Krishna Menon, who went on to become the first Indian High Commissioner to the UK, is also regarded as another founding member of the Club.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Menon intended the India Club to be a place where young Indian professionals living on a shoestring could afford to eat, discuss politics, and plan their futures,” Parvathi Raman, Founding Chair of the Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the aftermath of Indian independence and partition, the Club transformed into a hub for a rapidly growing British South Asian community.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Founded in the 1950s, the India Club - an iconic lounge-cum-restaurant and bar, located in London is shutting down next month. With early roots in the Indian independence movement, the shutting down is being regarded as the end of a chapter by its patrons.

Founded in the 1950s, the India Club - an iconic lounge-cum-restaurant and bar, located in London is shutting down next month. With early roots in the Indian independence movement, the shutting down is being regarded as the end of a chapter by its patrons. Proprietors Yadgar Marker and his daughter Phiroza who had been fighting to keep the restaurant going, even launching a "Save India Club" campaign previously, announced the impending closure last week. “It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the closure of the India Club, with our last day open to the public on September 17,” they said. “Since its opening over 70 years ago, the India Club has been a home-away-from-home for first-generation immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, as well as a community space for Indo-British groups,” said Phiroza, who has been helping out her father at the club since childhood. Watch | India's G20 Presidency: Weaving inclusive growth × Indian parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to lament the closure of the club as his father Chandan Tharoor was one of the founding members. “As the son of one of its founders, I lament the passing of an institution that served so many Indians (and not only Indians) for nearly three-quarters of a century," posted Tharoor. "For many students, journalists and travellers, it was a home away from home, offering simple and good quality Indian food at affordable prices as well as a convivial atmosphere to meet and maintain friendships,” he added. Also read | Delhi offices, schools, shops, banks to be shut on Sept 8-10 for G20 meet History of the club Located on the first floor of the Hotel Strand Continental, the club was started by members of the India League, which was a Britain-based organisation that campaigned for India's independence in the 1900s. Former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru is also believed to be one of the club's founding members. Krishna Menon, who went on to become the first Indian High Commissioner to the UK, is also regarded as another founding member of the Club. “Menon intended the India Club to be a place where young Indian professionals living on a shoestring could afford to eat, discuss politics, and plan their futures,” Parvathi Raman, Founding Chair of the Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. In the aftermath of Indian independence and partition, the Club transformed into a hub for a rapidly growing British South Asian community. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India Club in London, associated with independence movement, to shut shop on THIS date

December 30 in history: From hoisting of India's first flag of Independence to first colour television sale in US

<p>Grandnephew and researcher, Ashish Ray, of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a prominent figure in the Indian Independance movement, &nbsp;today claimed he has &quot;irrefutable evidence&quot; to prove that Bose died in an air crash in Taipei (Taiwan) on August 18, 1945.</p>

<p>Demanding that the ashes in the Renkoji temple should be brought back to India, Ray said, &quot;There are three reports which clearly state that Bose had died in the air crash in 1945 and did not have the opportunity to enter Soviet Union.&quot;</p>

<p>Two reports by the Japanese government have clearly stated that he died in the air crash and another report which is lying with the Russian state archives unambiguously says that Netaji didn&#39;t have the opportunity to enter the erstwhile Soviet Union on 1945 or afterwards, Ray said.</p>

<p>&quot;He was never held as prisoner in USSR,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Ray said Netaji, however, might have had plans to move to Russia as he had always believed that Russia, a Communist state, would support his cause to liberate India from the British rule.</p>

<p>&quot;He felt Japan would not be able to protect him because it had surrendered. He felt although he might be detained in Soviet Union, he stood a better chance of convincing the Soviet authorities about his mission to liberate India,&quot; Ray added.</p>

<p>Coming to contrary views on the issue, Ray said though he understands the emotional attachment with Netaji but there is a need to confront the truth.</p>

<p>&quot;For how long can we be in denial, irrespective of so much evidence which points towards his death in plane crash. We have accounts of six or seven persons, including Habibur Rehman. I think if possible a DNA test of the ashes in Renkiji temple should be done and the ashes should be brought back to India,&quot; Ray said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


'There are 3 reports which state that he had died in the air crash in 1945 and did not have the opportunity to enter Soviet Union,' Ray said

Grandnephew and researcher, Ashish Ray, of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a prominent figure in the Indian Independance movement, today claimed he has "irrefutable evidence" to prove that Bose died in an air crash in Taipei (Taiwan) on August 18, 1945. Demanding that the ashes in the Renkoji temple should be brought back to India, Ray said, "There are three reports which clearly state that Bose had died in the air crash in 1945 and did not have the opportunity to enter Soviet Union." Two reports by the Japanese government have clearly stated that he died in the air crash and another report which is lying with the Russian state archives unambiguously says that Netaji didn't have the opportunity to enter the erstwhile Soviet Union on 1945 or afterwards, Ray said. "He was never held as prisoner in USSR," he said. Ray said Netaji, however, might have had plans to move to Russia as he had always believed that Russia, a Communist state, would support his cause to liberate India from the British rule. "He felt Japan would not be able to protect him because it had surrendered. He felt although he might be detained in Soviet Union, he stood a better chance of convincing the Soviet authorities about his mission to liberate India," Ray added. Coming to contrary views on the issue, Ray said though he understands the emotional attachment with Netaji but there is a need to confront the truth. "For how long can we be in denial, irrespective of so much evidence which points towards his death in plane crash. We have accounts of six or seven persons, including Habibur Rehman. I think if possible a DNA test of the ashes in Renkiji temple should be done and the ashes should be brought back to India," Ray said. (PTI)

New documents show Indian freedom fighter Netaji died in air crash, claims grandnephew