1920 - Association of a few like minded people focused on Lawn tennis formed an Association named Calcutta South Club- approached the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for Land for the purpose for playing tennis.
1925 - The government allowed to erect a Pavilion on the side of the park which was duly constructed.
1940 - A long term lease was granted to the Club.
1958 - Club came to be known as 'The Calcutta South Club Ltd.
Over the years there were 12 grass courts and 6 clay courts, Subsequently during 1980's the demography changed to 10 grass courts and 8 clay courts.
With the change in the International Tennis Scenario, few grass courts were converted to synthetic courts and sometime in 2012-2013, the swimming pool was built and 5 synthetic courts were constructed. Presently the club houses 6 grass courts, 5 synthetic courts and 6 clay courts and a swimming pool also.
Many memorable international tournament like the Davis Cup, National Grass Court Tennis Championship, East India tennis championship, Calcutta Hard Court tennis tournaments and many junior national, international and state level tournaments have been organized over the years
What was only a flicker in 1920, has today flared up into a flame! Brightly and brilliantly it glows. Nowhere in the world possibly is there another club which can so completely identify itself with tennis in the whole country. Its growth gives the complete picture of Indian tennis from its earliest to the latest stage.
Before 1920, tennis was confined to the privileged class not only in Bengal but also in India. An incident, though unpleasant, occurred in 1920 which virtually laid the foundation of this club. Mr. Anadi Mukherjee and Mr. Ganesh Dey were cycling along Woodburn Road one afternoon. They saw a large gathering inside the Woodburn Park. They stopped. enquired and learnt that a tennis club (Punjab Club) was entertaining the delegates from Punjab who had come to participate in the Indian National Congress. Being ambitious. they asked the secretary for membership. As the rules did not allow membership to other communities, their request was turned down. They immediately resolved to undo this state of affairs. They went to Mr. Chapman, the District Engineer of Calcutta Corporation, and succeeded in convincing him to grant one tennis court in the same park for use of all communities. The club was opened in June 1920 without a name and ₹35 were collected from five members. Second hand gear was bought and play was started without screens. The Calcutta North Club at Beadon Square was then the home of Indian tennis. At the suggestion of Mr. Ananto Mukherjee, one of the members of the club , the baby at Woodburn Road was named "Calcutta South Club" with a vow to make it the new home of Indian tennis. In order to limit the liability of its members and to procure additional benefits of company law, the word "Limited" was added to the name on 30 January 1959.
At the end of the first year, the club had 17 members including the world famous Japanese Shimdzu and Okamato who had earlier confined their play to their own club the Nippon Club. Mr. R. Daglish and Mr. Anadi Mukherjee were the first president and secretary of the club.
There is an amusing anecdote about Shimdzu. His payments of club bills were always' delayed, but he never liked playing with old balls. Owing to tight finances, the club could not afford to give new balls more than twice in a month. A deal was struck. He had to bring a dozen new balls whenever he came to play. After play the balls were to be left in the club.
The club made steady progress. Four more courts were sanctioned in 1924 and five more in 1925. Approval was granted for a club house and the pavilion was built in 1926 with a member Mr Sajjan Chowdhury, financial assistance. It was opened on 4 November 1926 by Mr M. Senda. With the help of the Mayor of Calcutta Corporation Mr.J M. Sengupta (the club's vice-president from 1926-1933). Six more courts were sanctioned in this year. Since building of courts involved felling of several big palms, a vigorous press campaign was started for and against the proposal. While some called the new constructions "Vandalism In the Park", The Statesman (24 August 1928) said: "After all, grownups too need some place in which to exercise themselves and as they can hardly run about in the maidan flying kites and chasing toy balloons, it is necessary that they should have grounds in which to play their more ordered and systematic games." The battle was won when the mayor said in his speech (recorded In The Statesman 3 September 1929) in the corporation discussion: "As far as playing tennis was concerned the corporation would take pride in the fact that they had been instrumental in establishing the South Club in Woodburn Park, one of the finest lawn tennis clubs in Calcutta".
When the need was felt for yearlong continuous play, permission was sought and granted for six hard (brick) courts. These were built and the inauguration was done on 10 June 1934 by the mayor Mr S.K. Basu. The pavilion (the existing one) was extended and bar facilities also started during that year. In 1937, the Governor of Bengal, Hon. Sir John Anderson, an honorary member of the club suggested that the club should have a golf course, 24 tennis courts, a skating rink. a swimming pool and a large club house. This scheme also had the blessing of Lord Brabourne and a site was nearly selected in the lake area. The unfortunate demise of the governor became the death knell of the plan. Keeping with the need of the time, four clay courts were lighted in 1985 and two asphalt based rubberized lighted hard courts with latest technology were built in 2004 making us the only club in the world with all the surfaces at one place.
Till 1934, the All-India tournament of the club, called the Calcutta Lawn Tennis Championship (AITA approved), was held in March. From 1935, its name was changed to the East India Lawn Tennis Championship. In due course, this assumed the form of the National Championship of India. The First National Championship (1948) and the First Asian Championship (1949) were held here. Two club members, Mr Suman Misra and Mr Dilip Bose were the respective first winners.
It was thanks to this club that the visit of the first foreign team to India could be arranged. In 1929, the French team comprising of H.Cochet (world's No. 1 then), J. Brugnon (another world ranked player), P. Landry. R. Rodal with Mons. Parisot as manager, was touring Japan. Since it was beyond the financial strength of the club to bear the expenses, some members volunteered to raise ₹14.000 through personal guarantees with the understanding that they would forget their money if the venture was flopped. The team came and played before a full house. Thus, a new chapter was opened in the history of the club leading to subsequent visits by Austin,Tilden, Drobny, Borotra, Mervin Rose, Kramer, Hoad, Rosewall,Segura. Trabert. Sedgman. Emerson, Stolle. Cooper. Anderson. Gimeno, Olmedo and Santana. Though the champions now demand exorbitant prices [according to Indian standards) efforts still continue to get them to visit this legendary place.
Due to the South Club, Bengal became the nursery of Indian Tennis. Dilip Bose, Sumant Misra, Naresh Kumar, Premjit Lall, Jaidip Mukherjea, Gaurav Misra. Akhtar Ali, Bidyut Goswami, Chiradip Mukherjea, Leander Paes, Zeeshan Ali, S. Fazaluddin have been its products. Many of its members have represented India in Davis Cup, a record by itself.
To help the youngsters to learn the game a coaching scheme was started in 1950 under the supervision of Mr. Sidney Matthews. In 1955, Government of India launched a coaching scheme named after Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, the first lady cabinet minister, for various games. Tennis was one of them. Our club was made the main centre with our member and the first Asian Champion Mr.Dilip Bose as a coach which produced Davis Cup players Premjit Lal and Jaidip Mukerjea. After the winding up of this scheme in 1957, club gave its courts to Bengal Lawn Tennis Association (now BTA) to run a coaching scheme. Being not satisfied with their working and in keeping with this tradition. a coaching scheme with quarterly age group tournaments was started from April 1982 with over a hundred youngsters in order to check declining standards in Indian tennis. Its trainees Leander Paes, Zeeshan Ali and S. Fazaluddin represented India in Davis Cup apart from winning championships at National and International levels. Teams of promising teenagers are sponsored regularly for championships here and abroad.
While good clubs are getting beyond the reach of ordinary people due to regular enhancements of admission fees. the club has kept its costs within reasonable limits to give 3 days' afternoon play weekly guaranteed to members every month on monthly subscription with no extra charge for balls. Admission fees are Rs 10000 and Rs 20000 for playing and associate members at a time when others take lakhs for membership. It is still maintaining its motto, "Justice to all", by keeping the play open so that even non-members can play throughout the week in the morning, afternoon and evening at very nominal charges.
It was the highest tribute to this place that the greatest event in the history of Indian tennis, India's first entry into the challenge round occurred here in December 1966. Tilden had no hesitation in writing, "The centre court at the South Club in Calcutta is one of the best grass courts of my experience" (Page 151 of his book Aces, Places and Faults) and then in including its name in the list of 20 clubs unique in his memory (Page 125 of the same book). It was due to this that most of the home ties of Davis Cup games were played in our club bringing India victories most of the time. Even today, we have the first choice to have these games on our centre court.
- S. C. Godfrey (Brigadier General, USA Air Engineers)
About once a week I try to get into the South Club for some tennis. I go to the modest but attractive clubhouse (a converted residence) and let the skilful bearers divest me of uniform and clothe me with white shirts and trousers Then to the courts. The grass courts that we used before the monsoon rains are among the best in the world -so Tilden said- and certainly they are the best I ever played on. Now we use the excellent brick dust courts, which dry quickly after a shower. If I have no one with me, I readily find others to make up a match, perhaps a British officer, an American businessman and a young Indian maharaja. It is quite a family affair. The Indians. like the British. are enthusiastic about tennis and this love of tennis is a potent bond. Moreover. there are no "dub" players You are sure of a good match. At hand on the courts are good tennis balls and very youthful ball boys to chase them. The same as for tournaments at home. After one set, we usually give up the court to other waiting players, but before long can go ahead at another newly surrendered court. The. brief rest is enjoyable in this heat. At the end of the match, I deliver myself again to the deft bearer, who strips off my clothes and ushers me into a bath. Afterwards we drink and chat at the bar, most of us are men. perhaps a wife or two or an attractive Indian girl. Last time I refrained from a gin and lime in favour of a strange but delightful non-alcoholic beverage proffered me by Dr. Kakko, a milk base to which were added a dozen Indian ingredients including rose water and almonds. Recently little ceremony was held to present Hal Surface who is about to go home after twice winning the tennis championships of India, a handsome platter. Hal was quite touched and said a few words about international goodwill to his audience of friends. I like the South Club and agree with Hal Surface that international problems all over the world would be greatly eased if only as sportsmen we could know one another and battle it out with tennis rackets instead of guns.
* Courtesy South Club's Silver Jubilee Brochure
Association of a few like-minded people focused on Lawn tennis formed an Association named Calcutta South Club- approached the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for Land for the purpose for playing tennis. Over the years there were twelve grass courts and six clay courts, subsequently during 1980's two more clay courts were built and the Club housed 8 clay courts and 10 grass courts.
With the change in the International Tennis Scenario, few grass courts were converted to synthetic courts and sometime in 2012-2013, the swimming pool was built and 5 synthetic courts were constructed.
Many memorable international tournaments like the Davis Cup, National Grass Court Tennis Championship, East India tennis championship, Calcutta Hard Court tennis tournaments and many junior nation, international and state level tournaments have been organized over the years.
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Calcutta South Club has been one of the pioneer institutions in the country having a history of more than 100 years. We have spearheaded Indian Tennis over the last century. Joining the Club means inheriting the culture, sportsmanship and heritage of the club.
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