Amar Singh Club Earnings Cross Rs 4.45 Crore, AGM Approves Reforms, Welfare Corpus and Democratic Overhaul

SRINAGAR: In a landmark session that combined fiscal achievement with institutional reform and social responsibility, the Amar Singh Club, Srinagar, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, June 29, 2025. The Club reported a remarkable rise in annual revenue to Rs 4.45 crore for the financial year 2024–25 — a nearly fivefold increase from Rs 86 lakh recorded in 2019–20 — alongside the implementation of key constitutional amendments and approval of a novel welfare corpus for underprivileged girls.

Given the unforeseen engagement of the Club President and Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, the AGM was presided over by Managing Committee member Rauf A Punjabi under Article 30(2) of the Club Constitution. Secretary Nasir Hamid Khan opened the meeting by conveying the President’s warm wishes to the members and led the observance of a one-minute silence in memory of distinguished Club members who passed away during the year, including Muhammad Shafi Pandit, Devender Singh Rana, Prof Mian Sualeh Mustafa, Er Mohammad Aslam Khan, and Mir Mohammed Hussain Kanth.

Presenting a detailed account of the Club’s progress, Khan highlighted key fiscal and institutional developments. The Club not only raised its revenue from Rs 86 lakh in 2019–20 to Rs 4.45 crore in 2024–25, but also paid Rs 1.29 crore in GST during the same period. Staff strength was more than doubled, and significant investments were made in the restoration of old infrastructure and creation of new assets.

He expressed gratitude to former secretaries Er Mian Mushtaq, Mr Rouf Fazili, and particularly Er Showkat Ahmed Shahdad for their support in the Club’s revival. Senior members like Kishan Amla, Saleem Beig, Mohamad Ibrahim Shahdad, Javed Makhdhoomi, Er SRS Madni, Shabir Ahmed, and Parvaiz Wani were acknowledged for their continuous guidance, while younger members, including Rouf Bakshi, Faheem Sherwani and Dawar Ashraf Mir, were recognised for their active involvement. The Managing Committee also placed on record its appreciation for the cooperation and hard work of the Club staff, which the General Body unanimously endorsed.

Among the initiatives highlighted was the Club’s social outreach platform, ‘Common Interest Conversations’, aimed at addressing vital societal issues of Kashmir. The platform has brought attention to themes like digital addiction, drug abuse, women’s wellness, eldercare, architectural neglect, and unemployment. Its popularity has led to a spike in membership interest, with Khan citing the example of G H Kango, a retired IFS officer who at age 90 applied for Club membership — the oldest in the Club’s history. His enthusiasm moved the General Body to unanimously waive off his one-year probation period under Article 10(2).

The audited Club accounts for the financial year 2023–24 were presented and approved without dissent. Several constitutional amendments proposed by the Managing Committee were discussed in detail and ratified. These included a revision in the total number of members under Article 8(i), streamlined procedures for General Body approvals under Article 40(v), and an overhaul of the admission fee structure and categories. Of particular note was the addition of a ‘single women’ category, approved on nominal charges, to expand inclusivity.

Under Agenda Item VI, member Bilal Ahmed Dar raised a socially-driven proposal on event charges for marriages held at the Club. Until now, the Club charged fifty per cent of the notified rate for the marriage of a member’s son, and waived all charges for a daughter’s marriage. Dar proposed that this should be equalised — with fifty per cent charges applied for both sons and daughters — arguing that members were generally well-placed financially and such a step would create equity. More significantly, he suggested that ten per cent of the Club’s total banquet income be earmarked as a special corpus fund to financially support marriage functions of underprivileged girls, especially those from economically weaker sections. While acknowledging the Club’s long-standing tradition of offering free banqueting space to such families, he emphasised the need for deeper support beyond venue costs. The proposal was deliberated at length and passed unanimously by the General Body.

In one of the most debated agenda items of the session, Senior Advocate Jehangir Iqbal Ganie moved a resolution under Article 61 seeking the deletion of Article 20(4) of the Club Constitution, which prevented any Managing Committee member from contesting elections after two consecutive terms. Ganie termed the clause anti-democratic and a direct infringement on the constitutional right to vote and be voted for. “If members are satisfied with someone’s performance, they should be free to vote them back; if not, they won’t,” he argued. The resolution received support from prominent members including Showkat A Zargar, Mustaq A Wani, Shabir Ahmad, Mustaque Ali Khan, Ritu Kapoor, Mustaq Tantray, and Owais Qadir Jamie. Ritu Kapoor formally moved to adopt the resolution, seconded by Mustaq A Wani. The motion was passed unanimously, marking a significant shift towards more open democratic participation within the Club’s internal governance.

The Club also appointed M/s Asjad Muhaib & Associates as its auditors for the financial year 2024–25.

In his concluding remarks, Chair Rauf A Punjabi thanked all members for their engagement and participation, calling the day’s discussions “lively, democratic and transformative”. Secretary Nasir Hamid Khan offered a formal vote of thanks, closing the meeting on a note of optimism and collective resolve.