Move over, gymkhanas. These clubs are the new clique bait

Leave gymkhanas to grandpa. Modern members-only clubs offer updated frills, new networks and the same coveted exclusivity

Arbitrary rules about sandals and shorts. Décor that hasn’t changed since the British departed. Squash courts. Golf greens. Bridge clubs. Tambola nights. An old-fashioned gymkhana or club has its charms, but they’re not for everyone, particularly with their long waitlists and exorbitant membership fees.

When it opened in 2018, the rooftop pool at Soho House, Mumbai became a hotspot for young creatives to meet, mingle and assure themselves that they’d made it.

Delhi’s invite-only supper club A Ta Maison (ATM, French for ‘At Your Home’) offers its community of 350 gourmands curated food and beverage events.

The interiors of the members lounge at The Quorum, Gurgaon, are bright, airy and contemporary, unlike those of old-world gymkhanas.