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It brought an end to the Season which began with the Stewart Cup and included a month full of
sporting and social events such as the Polo Ball. Not only the players and Club members, but the general
public too thronged the grounds to watch the match on Christmas Day. According to Mr Singh, it was
an event everyone so looked forward to that the biggest threat used by parents to keep their children
in check was that they would not be taken to the watch the Christmas Day polo match unless they
behaved themselves! Mr Khaitan agrees, saying,
“Everyone wanted to enter the Club grounds on Christmas
Day, not only to enjoy the match but also to be seen, socially, at the event.”
In 1962 the Club celebrated its Centenary Year with a host of events, including a visit from
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Mr Khaitan looks back at that time fondly, stating simply,
“It was a very happy time of my life.”
Once he
joined Williamson Magor, however, he found he was too busy to do justice to his post as Secretary of
the Club, especially after the sad demise of Mr PatWilliamson in 1965. He remained a member, though,
and continued to support the Club as much as he could, financially and otherwise, well into the 1970s
but the sport started losing its charm for the general public and steadily declined. After a period of
inactivity, the Club was rejuvenated in December
2006, when the members celebrated 150 years of
its existence. The Club now organizes various
polo tournaments at the PatWilliamson Ground
in December.
Mr Khaitan was Patron of the Calcutta Polo Club
and still enjoys watching a game of polo.
~
Sarita Dasgupta
A
t one time racing was important in my life as a sport,”
says Mr Khaitan.
“In 1953, I joined the Royal
Calcutta Turf Club as a member and this gave me access to an exclusive social circle and thus to top
business and mercantile houses as well.”
Horce-racing in Kolkata dates back to 1769 when the races were held at Akra in the suburban Garden
Reach area. In 1799 this popular sport saw a five-year hiatus after which it was taken over by the Bengal
Jockey Club which had been formed with the objective of keeping the sport alive.
In 1809, the venue of the races shifted from Akra to the Maidan area of the city, and in 1812, the new
course was laid out where it is today. The Calcutta Welter, the most important event of that time, was
shifted to Calcutta from its original venue, Barasat, in 1825. Calcutta was the first centre in the sub-
continent to stage a Derby race in 1842, called the Calcutta Derby Stakes. It was five years later, in
1847, that the Calcutta Turf Club was officially born – perhaps the most significant event in the history
of horse-racing in Calcutta.
By the end of the century, the standing of Calcutta Turf Club was very high; its jurisdiction covering all
the courses in Burma and India except the ones in western India. The term 'Royal' was added to the
name of the Club in 1912, after King George V's second visit to the Calcutta Races.
In 1908, Calcutta Turf Club appointed a Stipendiary Steward – a first in India. The same year
Maharajadhiraja Bejoy Chand Mahtab of Burdwan became the first Indian to be elected to full
membership of the club, followed later by his son, Sir Uday Chand Mahtab, who was Senior Steward
of the Club when Mr B.M. Khaitan was a Steward in 1971. They became close friends.
Mr Khaitan, Mr Pat Williamson and the Maharaja co-owned many horses over fifteen years, along with a
fourth partner, some of whom were Mr M.W.D. Oldman, Mr O.J. Roy, Mr A.H. Billimoria, Mr M. Parekh,
Mr M.J. Chaytor and Mr H.P. Barooah.
“We were calledThe Four,”
says Mr Khaitan with a laugh.
Racing
“
35
36
L to R: Mr B.M. Khaitan, Alec Harper, Billy Sodhi, Mr PatWilliamson, Maharaj Prem Singh, Hesky Baig & Ivan Surita
CalcuttaTeam
~
1961 Centenary CupTournament