ABOVE the roar of traffic of New York`s Sixth Avenue, the first British Merchant Navy Club for Indian Seamen in the United States was recently opened by Sir Girja Shankar Bajpai, Agent-General for India in the United States.

Indian crews have long been a familiar sight in the port of New York. But in peacetime, ships usually remained for a short time only and the need for special welfare activities was not so urgent. Since the war, however, ships are often held up, for one reason or the other, and torpedoed crews are sometimes sent after rescue to await a new ship.

These gallant men, of whom the majority are Muslims from the provinces of Bengal and Assam, are very welcome in the existing institutions for seamen in New York. But it seemed desirable to supplement this by a club where they would have the advantage of the atmosphere of their own country, would be able to prepare Indianfood, practise their religion and be among compatriots.

The Indian Merchant Navy Club was thus started at West 38th Street and anything up to 200 or so of these men find companions, recreation and their national food. Dawn Delhi