Three-year-old community plans a clubhouse in Himachal Pradesh for companionship, recreation and mutual support
Chandigarh: More than 200 families from Chandigarh and the surrounding region, whose children are settled or working abroad, have come together under the Chandigarh NRI Family Club House, an initiative aimed at building friendship, companionship and mutual support among parents living in India.
A large majority of the members have children settled in the United States. While their children pursue careers and family lives thousands of kilometres away, many parents continue to live in India, particularly after retirement. The Club provides them a platform to meet like-minded families, develop friendships and remain socially active.
Over the past three years, members have regularly met, celebrated festivals and special occasions together, exchanged experiences and participated in social activities. Several members have also travelled to the United States together in groups, further strengthening the bonds among the families.
The Club also provides an informal platform for members to share experiences on practical issues concerning their children abroad, including travel, immigration, education, careers and employment. The experience of one family often proves useful to another facing similar circumstances.
The philosophy behind the initiative is simple:
“Our children may live thousands of kilometres away, but parents should not have to spend their retirement years in isolation.”
Taking the initiative further, members are now developing a clubhouse in the natural surroundings of Himachal Pradesh. Envisioned as a “home away from home”, particularly during the summer months, it will provide accommodation and common facilities where members can stay, spend time together and participate in social and recreational activities.
The Chandigarh NRI Family Club House aims to grow beyond a conventional social club and build a caring community of families connected by a common experience — children living abroad while their parents continue their lives in India.
Having already brought together more than 200 families, the Club looks forward to welcoming more similarly placed families from Chandigarh and the surrounding region and strengthening a community based on friendship, companionship and mutual care.
