Club History

The Poona Club History

The Poona Club Ltd, one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs in the country, has a glorious 131 years history dating back to 1886. The list of founder patrons of the Poona Gymkhana was a compilation of the who’s who of the 1880s, the Aga Khan, Maharajas of Jodhpur and Rajpipla, The Gaikwad of Baroda, Sir Dorab Tata, Sir Cusrow Wadia, Sir Victor Sassoon, The Nawab of Junagad and a few other very highly decorated and renowned dignitaries.

The club was registered with the Registrar of Companies on 31st August 1931 and presently has over 6000 Members in various categories. The club spans 3 locations – the Main Club on thirteen and half acres of land, the Swimming Pool and Squash Court Complex on two and half acres and the Golf Course on 96 acres, all in prime areas in the heart of the city.

The club offers practically all modern sports disciplines having world class facilities like Tennis, Table Tennis, Badminton, Squash, Swimming Pool, Health Club as also Indoor Games like Billiards and snooker, Card Room, Scrabble and an extremely popular Children’s Park. In addition to a 18 Hole Golf Course and a Cricket Ground and Pavilion, the jogging track is a spectacular walker’s paradise, the pride of the Club and undoubtedly one of the best in the city having varied flora and fauna and a lush shaded canopy.

The Club also has 18 Deluxe Residential Double Rooms with catering and laundry facilities. There are 3 restaurants providing choicest multi cuisines, 4 permit rooms, a bakery and a Club Shop for daily needs.

We also have a library on the premises which is housed in a heritage building. Further, a total of 12 Party Venues in varying sizes are available for hosting private parties / functions. The club also organises a large number of entertainment programmes. We have reciprocal affiliations with 77 clubs in India and 14 international clubs. The reciprocity provide a huge advantage to members from clubs like yours, when they travel to Pune.

Past Presidents

# Name of the President Year
1 SIR CLAUDE ENLIS K. T. 1944
2 LT. COL. A. W. ADAMS 1946
3 COLONEL L. O. CLARKE 1946
4 SIR MANNECKJI MEHTA K. T. 1947
5 MAJ. GEN. D. R. THAPER C.I.E.O.B.E. 1948-1949
6 HON’BLE MAJOR JUSTICE D. V. VYAS I.C.S. 1950-1951
7 MR. N. W. KAMTE M.B.E.I.P. 1952-1953
8 MR. B. B. PAYMASTER I.C.S. 1954-1956
9 MR. U. M. MIRCHANDANI I.C.S. 1957
10 MR. KHAN BAHADUR S. R. KOTHAWALA 1958-1959
# Name of the President Year
1 MR. C. B. NAGARKAR I.C.S. 1960
2 MAJ. GEN. Y. S. PARANJAPE 1961 – 1963
3 MAJ. GEN. E. A. R. ARDESHIR 1964 – 1968
4 MR. N. D. NAGARVALA 1968 – 1969
5 MR. EBRAHIM D. CHINOY 1969
6 MR. R. B. PATEL 1969 – 1971
7 MR. EBRAHIM D. CHINOY 1971 – 1973
8 MR. GUSTASP RASHID 1973 – 1975
9 CAPT. P. S. MAHINDRA 1975 – 1977
10 MR. PREMCHAND BAFANA 1977 – 1978
11 MR. KRISHAN W. KOCHHAR 1978 – 1980
# Name of the President Year
1 MR. ANIL S. SULE 1980 – 1982
2 DR. SUBHASH PATKI 1982 – 1984
3 MR. R. G. JOBANPUTRA 1984 – 1986
4 MR. ATUR SANGTANI 1986 – 1988
5 MR. N. W. LIMAYE 01.06.1988 – 29.09.1988
6 MR. SAM F. IRANI 1988 – 1990
7 MR. LALIT SANGTANI 1990 – 1992
8 DR. SHARAD CHAUDHARI 1992 – 1994
9 MR. CHANDU BORDE 1994 – 1996
10 MR. R. C. BAJAJ 1996 – 1998
11 MR. NITIN R. DESAI 1998 – 2000
# Name of the President Year
1 MR. RAMESH KOCHHAR 2000 – 2002
2 MR. DILIP SANGHVI 2002 – 2004
3 MR. MUNIR CHINOY 2004 – 2006
4 MR. ANIL SEOLEKAR 2006 – 2008
5 MR. MANOJ S. MALKANI 2008 – 2009
6 MRS. REKHA KRISHAN 2009 – 2012
7 MR. RAJIV SANGTANI 2012 – 2014
8 MR. SWASTIK SIRSIKAR 2014 – 2016
9 MR. RAJIV SANGTANI 2016 – 2018
10 MR. RAHUL DHOLE PATIL 2018 – 2020
# Name of the President Year
1 MR. NITIN D DESAI 2020 – 2022
2 MR. SUNIL HANDA 2022 – 2024