Indian community gets better home

Abu Dhabi: The first building housing the Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) here had just four or five rooms back in 1967.

Now, after more than 40 years, it has grown, like the rest of Abu Dhabi, to become a five-storey building with modern facilities.

"It is not just the ISC, but all corners of Abu Dhabi have changed tremendously. I have been witness to the changes during the past four decades," said K.P. Sacheendran, 63, who is known as Sachee among his friends.

The new Dh35 million building will be the biggest Indian recreational club in the Middle East, said Thomas John, president of the ISC. "It is expected to be inaugurated in the third week of next month," he said.

The premier socio-cultural organisation, established in 1967, serves the whole Indian community. The late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, father of the nation, donated a plot of land to the Indian community by decree, on which the former building had been erected.

Recently, to meet the expanding needs of the centre, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the Supreme Council granted an alternative plot of land for a new building.

General Shaikh Mohammad laid the foundation stone of this building in March 2006.

"During the late 1960s the ISC was the only venue for Indians to celebrate their festivals," said Sachee, who arrived in Abu Dhabi in March 1967.

"Most of the members were employees of two major oil companies and we celebrated local festivals, such as Eid, and all Indian festivals, such as Diwali, Onam, Vishu and Baishakhi.

"The facilities were limited. There were sandy volleyball and badminton courts, billiards and playing card rooms," said Sachee.

Little income

The club received little income from its relatively small membership of 600, but received support from some oil companies, he said.

Back then the community was not prosperous. There were not many sponsors or donors.

The new club will have all sorts of sports and games facilities, and provisions for cultural and recreational uses, said John.

It will be a prime meeting place for the Indian community, catering to 2,500 active members and their families, he said.

The sports and games facilities will include an Olympic standard swimming pool with the services of a lifeguard and a fully equipped gymnasium. There are also four badminton courts, two tennis courts, two squash courts and facilities for table tennis, snooker and billiards, cards, chess and carom billiards.

The library and reading room will have internet facilities.

The multi-purpose auditorium equipped with the latest audiovisual system has a seating capacity of 1,500 people.

A mini hall with seating for 300 and an art and craft hall with 200 seats can also be used for functions and meetings.

"We will allow the public and other organisations to use the auditorium and halls on request," said John.

Families and children can entertain themselves in the spacious family room with a children's play area. A multi-cuisine, five-star family restaurant will be operated by a reputable restaurant chain. Steam bath facilities will be offered for both men and women.

There will be a modern beverage centre.

The multi-storey building will be monitored by CCTV. Professionally trained staff will manage the facilities, said John.

"New applicants for membership are on a waiting list as membership has passed the 2,000-mark, and we want to limit membership to 2,500," said John.

"The managing committee has decided to allow new members on a first-come-first-served basis. Non-Indians can join the club as associate members, subject to the approval of the committee.

A board of governors has been formed with the prominent businessmen M.A. Yousuf Ali as chairman and B.R. Shetty as vice chairman.

The Indian Ambassador to the UAE is the chief patron.

The club will be a meeting point of not only Indians but the whole Abu Dhabi community, said M.A. Salam, general-secretary of the ISC.

The Indian community now has a new home which should emerge as a centre to showcase India's social and cultural achievements, bring members of the community together and provide a platform for promoting friendship between the Indian community and the people of the UAE, said Talmiz Ahmad, Indian Ambassador, in his message to the centre.