HYDERABAD: Deal Das Club needs Seth Deal again

Hyderabad’s Dayal Das Club (Dayal is the correct name) will be 100 years old in 2022.

Dr. Harchand Rai, the elder of Umarkot, studied medicine in Hyderabad. He knew Hyderabad very well. He had corrected Rakim on at least two occasions to be Dyal Das and not Dayal Das.

Some citizens of Hyderabad formally acquired land for this club from the municipality in 1922 by paying the then official price. On one side of this land is the imposing building of the District Court and on the other side of the road is the office and residence of the Collector who was also called the Deputy Commissioner.

It was established in 1910. The cantonment in Hyderabad was established in 1885. After that Gymkhana was established in 1897. The gymkhana was reserved for military officers, with civilians not being admitted.

A group of citizens intended to establish a suitable place for the recreation of citizens in the style of a gymkhana. An application for land in the name of ‘Hyderabad Club’ was submitted to the municipality and approval of 88 thousand 840 square feet of land was obtained from the municipality and the municipal authorities decided that the lease amount of the land would be Rs. will be obliged to pay.

The land was granted on 10 July 1920 on a 99-year lease. The main purpose of establishing the Hyderabad Club was that civilians were not allowed in the gymkhana, so to build a gymkhana for civilians.

The municipality leased the land on different terms. There was also a clause in it that there would be no political action and sit-ins in the club. The lease amount seems nominal today, but in 1922 it was significant.

The four walls of the club and the building of the club could not be constructed from the karta dhartas of the Hyderabad club, although the members were made but it was difficult to run the club with their monthly fees.

This club is unique in the sense that there is no non-governmental private club across the country where members are charged a very modest monthly fee.

At a time when money was in dire need, Seth Dayaldas Mulchand Advani came to the fore. He was a big businessman. He proceeded to finance the club but the agreement he signed on 30 September 1921 stipulated that the name of the Hyderabad club would be ‘Seth Dayal Das Mulchand’ and would never be changed.

According to the agreement, Sethji will donate Rs 20,000 to the club, the first installment of Rs 5,000 was paid at the time of signing the contract. And the balance was decided to be paid in installments.

It was also stipulated in the agreement that two persons nominated by Seth Sahib would be placed in the managing committee of the club and that there would be no gambling and no liquor of any kind would be used in the club. Unfortunately, the management committee in the club is unable to enforce these conditions. However, Narayan Dayal Das, a son of Seth Dayal Das Mulchand, constructed a fountain in the garden of the club, on which he installed a plaque of his name.

Some members had agitated for the proposal to rename the club Hyderabad Club years after the creation of Pakistan.

Some people approached the court against this movement. Feroze Nana used to be the District Judge at that time. He rejected the request to change the name.

The club’s members include prominent personalities of the city. Law Minister of West Pakistan Allah Bachao Akhund, Minister of Sindh Government and Mayor of Hyderabad Syed Ahad Yusuf, Former President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Seth Muhammad Amin, prominent Zamindar Nisar Memon, late Muhammad Hussain Talpur aka Maulana Hippy etc. in the post of President. were held

The club has once again been in a financial crisis since its inception in recent years and once again needs a Seth Dial Das to run it properly and bear the expenses.

The club management had found a way to make money by renting out the large fields to the right and left of the club for use for weddings, which led to financial relief.

The employees used to get salaries on time and other needs especially electricity bill and other needs were fulfilled. A member of the club objected that since the club has been declared a heritage, commercial activities cannot be carried out within its limits.

The court accepted this ground and the marriage ceremonies were stopped. The club has once again suffered from severe financial losses. The monthly membership fee of the club is Rs 600, which is paid by a large number of members at the time of election. In view of the financial difficulties, the salaries of the junior employees of the big man’s club are also disappointing.