The India Club in London and Strand Continental Hotel at 143 to 145 Strand, a hub for Indian nationalists in the UK during the independence movement, is fighting for its survival after plans emerged for the building to be demolished internally to make a modern hotel establishment. The Club has its roots in the India League founded by Annie Besant, which campaigned for Indian independence in Britain. It has been used a hang out spot for Indian journalists and intellectuals since 1946, including the Indian Journalists Association UK.
Yadgar Marker who runs the establishment with his wife Freny since 1997, is now campaigning it to receive a listed status from English Heritage as a historically important landmark to save it from extinction as well as running a petition to Westminster Council to reject the planning application. The petition has reached 900 signartures, and need another 1100 to make an impact. The campaign has already received a high profile backing including Indian MP Shashi Tharoor, whose father journalist Chandan Tharoor was a Co-Founder alomg with V K Krishna Menon, independent India's first high commissioner to UK.
