Coming together

More important, it provides a feeling of oneness among the 70-odd families that are members.”The club meets regularly at the end of the month. During this meeting members whose birthday or marriage anniversary falls in that month are greeted with roses on the behalf of other members. The food committee arranges for dinner, the menu for which changes every month.

The club organises an array of activities that range from entertainment to educational. Thus for the fun-loving there is the ever popular tambola, picnics, kitty parties for ladies and in more serious moments seminars on personality development, lectures for men and women addressing problems faced by them. Tours to Jagannath Puri, Badrinath-Kedarnath, Dwarkadheesh-Mehasana, Tirupati have also been organised in past few years for the members. Says Nandkishore G Agarwal, secretary of the club, “The aim of the club is to get people who vibe intellectually. Membership is selective. Potential members of the Agarwal community are screened and interviewed by the Governing Council. Only if they fit the bill do we give them membership.”

Adds he, “The registered address of the club is the residence of the secretary, who changes every year, till the club has its own premises.” The facilities of the club are extended to the member, spouse and unmarried children.

The club has undertaken a number of projects. Says Singhal, “We initiated the Parichay Sammelan – the process of getting unmarried people to meet with the purpose of matrimony. Now other organisations are managing but we do help in any way we can.” Long term projects include setting up a hostel for girls. The members are quick to state that the club aims to generate its services to the society at large. Says Nandkishore G Agarwal, “We plan to assist the civic authorities at Yerwada. We also plan to look into infrastructural problems.” Hence the motto of the club – Seva hi adhikar mera (Service to others is my right).

Finally despite its communal origins, that does not form the basis for the club, as Omprakash Agarwal, former president, puts it, “We are just motivated by the need to do something for the society. What good our community does is sure to percolate to the rest of the society.”