India, May 30 -- Amongst the happiest memories of my childhood is devouring fish fingers and chicken sandwiches at the Gymkhana Club. My sister Shobha would take me swimming and this was the bribe to coax me into the pool. Jugnu, my cousin, would offer me a coke for every breadth I could complete. Even so, I usually failed. As a young child going to the Club was an occasion. Simply thrilling. Pure fun.

Nearly 50 years ago, when I was 21, I became a member in my own right. "You'll have to wear a suit, young man," the president informed me, as I prepared for the At Home. "I don't have one," I hastily replied. "I'm just here on holiday from Cambridge and it's the middle of a very hot summer." He laughed sardonically. "In which case you'll g...