Indians elect new panel to manage Al Ain centre

Al Ain: The Indian community has elected a new 17-member committee to run the Indian Social Centre (ISC), one of the most active expatriate institutions in Al Ain.

Led by T.V.N. Kutty, the new team has taken over the centre with promises to make the ISC a prime facility for the community to enjoy cultural, social, and sports programmes during its year-long term.

"We are committed to providing a year round entertainment, sports, and social programmes to the community," said Kutty, who is popularly known as Jimmy.

The new committee, he said, has a proper plan and will not disappoint the members, he said.

The ISC, he said, has enjoyed a good credibility among Indians who also refer to it for possible assistance and support in the hour of need.

The electoral process would complete in the first week of this month after the election of office-bearers of the centre's ladies and children wings. The process for these two wings has already begun and some 200 women and 400 children would participate in the elections, said Kutty.

The ISC is a platform that has been endeavouring for many years to cater to the social, cultural and psychological needs of the Non-Resident Indians (NRI) in Al Ain.

Good credibility

The activities of the centre are divided into three main categories that include: literary, entertainment, and sports events organised with the help of three forums for women, children, and the main executive body.

The ISC currently enrolled more than 2,000 members. The centre also has some associate members from other nationalities who want to enjoy different sports and recreation facilities.

Welfare of the members and the community, in general, is also another major area of focus of the centre for which it liaisons with the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and UAE authorities.

Kutty said an all out effort would be made to acquire a new piece of land for the centre. He also appealed to Indian businessmen and influential people to help them in this regard.

"We are currently running the centre [in] a rented place and need [a] place to build a new building for it," he said, noting that it would be his prime target during this year.

Established in 1957, the ISC is an active organisation that not only provides entertainment and recreational facilities to Indian expatriates community living in Al Ain, but also organises literary, cultural and sports functions to promote relation with other communities.

The centre has moved to its present purpose-built premises, built at a cost of Dh500,000, in Al Sarooj district some 11 year ago. The ISC building has a main auditorium, with an seating capacity of 1,500 people, a mini auditorium, a library with 4,000 books, and many recreational facilities.

Office-bearers: New ISC body