Abu Dhabi: One of the oldest Indian community organisations in the capital, the Kerala Social Centre (KSC) will start renovation of its building next month.
The 45-year-old organisation is a prominent sociocultural forum of expatriates from the South Indian state of Kerala. Established in 1972, the centre moved to the current premises in Madinat Zayed in the capital in 1996. One of the five Indian community organisations in the capital registered with the UAE Ministry of Community Development, the KSC caters to around 4,500 people, including more than 1,500 members and their family members.
“The Dh2-million renovation activities include expansion of the main auditorium and construction of two more mini halls,” P. Padmanabhan, president of the KSC, told Gulf News.
Upon completion in six months, the air-conditioned main auditorium with state-of-the art light and sound system can accommodate 1,500 people and the two mini halls 300 people each, he said.
The KSC has constituted a building committee to oversee the renovation with K.B. Murali as chairman and P. Padmanabhan as general convener. The presidents of three other registered Indian community organisations — Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC), Abu Dhabi Malayali Samajam (ADMS) and Indian Islamic Centre (IIC) — are the vice-chairpersons and prominent community members in the capital are members of the committee.
The fund for renovation will be raised from the KSC members, other community members and business persons.
The organisation had successfully carried out renovation costing Dh1 million a year ago with the construction of a guest room and new mini hall that accommodates 300 people and expansion of some other existing facilities. “The community members and businessmen generously contributed to that project. We expect the same enthusiasm from the community for this renovation also,” Padmanabhan said.
The renovation will not mostly affect the regular activities of the centre, he said, although the main auditorium cannot be used. “If any major event comes up, we will organise it at the auditorium of any other Indian community organisations such as the ISC, ADMS or ICC. On similar situations, they have been using our premises also,” said Padmanabhan, highlighting the cooperation among the Indian organisations in the capital.
As a hub of sports and sociocultural activities of Keralites in the capital, the KSC organises several annual events. Jimmy George Memorial volleyball tournament and Bharath Murali memorial drama festival are the most prominent among them. Art and cultural programmes involving writers, academics and artists from India are conducted almost every week at the centre. Literary and cultural wings of the centre regularly organise discussions and debates about sociocultural and literary developments in India and rest of the world.
