The Chandigarh Press Club – the journalistic hub and support system to the media fraternity of the region – is celebrating its Foundation Day today (July 15).

The emergency and camaraderie between the journalists gave birth to the Chandigarh Press Club. The club’s existing premises in Sector 27 (Chandigarh) was inaugurated on July 15, 1980. And a year ago, it got registered under the societies registration act (on October 11, 1979).

Over the years, the club rose to one of the best in the country. Apart from being a hub for journalistic activities, hosting regular workshops and inviting the country’s eminent journalists for a lecture series, the club also houses swimming pool, tennis and badminton courts, and offers a family atmosphere at its dine-in areas. 

The dreaded Emergency from 1975-77 stirred an idea --- there should be a common space for journalists in Chandigarh, like Delhi, had its Press Club of India, and Kolkata and Mumbai had their own press clubs.

After a series of meetings over two years, a group of 11 journalists --- NS Mailk (UNI), Sukhdev Singh (Tribune), Gyaninder Bhardwaj (Hindustan Samachar), BK Cham (Indian Express), S Bali (PTI), SS Saroj (Punjab Mail), HS Sodhi (veteran journalist), AK Bhandari (UNI), Harkanwal Singh (Ajit), S Shaukin (Patriot) and Gobind Thukral (Indian Express) --- decided to form Chandigarh Press Club. And, on October 11, 1979, the idea became a reality.

“The restrictions imposed on the media during emergency forced us to think that there should be a commonplace or club designated for the journalists in Chandigarh, where the media could freely discuss their issues, and the place would also work as a platform to support the journalists. Eventually, after two years of exercise, we were able to register Chandigarh Press Club on October 11, 1979,” recalls Harkanwal Singh, who was then the youngest among the founder members. 

At that time the club didn’t have any premises, so the first meeting after the registration of the Chandigarh Press Club took place at one of the founder members Sukhdev Singh's residence at Sector 23 (House No 118).  

BK Chum was made the founder president, while Sukhdev Singh was the founder secretary general.