The Milanee, the oldest socio-cultural club in the city has completed its 105 year’s journey. The club which now has about 500 members was earlier known as Sakchi Dramatic Club, Milanee was formed after Oriya Dramatic Club and Saraswat Sammilani merged with the former in 1920. That explains the name Milanee.
Social work and cultural programmes marked the 106th anniversary of The Milanee, the oldest socio-cultural club in the city. Kolkata based singer Debashree Tarafder and SaReGaMaPa 2007 fame Prasun Bhattacharjee entertained the audience.
Dr Shantiram Chakraborty established the Milanee Hall in 1914. The Milanee is an ample truth in this regard what was a receding dream and a modest endeavor to begin with, stands today. Half a century later as the pioneering institution of its kind in this Steel City, providing the forum for cultural and recreation amenities for one and all.
What it is today is the result of years of concerted and untiring efforts of many with determination and broad imagination behind them.
In its pursuit of a great cultural heritage it was conceived that performing arts could survive only by devotion and dedication of true artists.
Many great artists like Pandit Ravishankar Sitar
All Rakha others have performed their mastery and music on the stage of the Milanee.
Mahatma Gandhi spun the charkha on its stage.
The legendary Prithviraj Kapoor performed with a teenaged Shashi Kapoor here and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose addressed a large gathering here during his tenure as the president of Tata Workers’ Union.
Formed by a handful of like-minded citizens in Sakchi, today Milanee is not only the oldest but also one of the most well managed socio-cultural organisation in the city.
Formed by a handful of like-minded citizens in Sakchi, today Milanee is not only the oldest but also one of the most well managed socio-cultural organisation in the city.
“Milanee first started at a small quarter in Bistupur and later shifted to a place where today stands the Yashkamal complex in Bistupur. It was in 1960 that the present structure came up.
Before that there was a three-storeyed opera house on the spot,” said an official.
Today, the members after the inaugural functional also offered floral tribute to their former members who played an important role in the formation of the club and sustaining it.