The Press Club of India is basically a meeting point for the journalists as it is located in the heart of Lutyens Delhi  where Parliament House and other Ministries, which are the area of activity of the journalists, are located.

The idea to set up the Press Club of India was first conceived by eminent editor and veteran journalist Mr Durga Das  way back in the early 1930s when he visited London as editor of the Associated Press of India which later came to be  known as PTI. His visit to the London Press Club became a motivator for him to replicate the model in Delhi.

It was incorporated as a Company on March 10, 1958

Mr Durga Das later became its first president.

Events recorded by Mr Das in his memoires point out that he pursued the matter on return to India at various levels.  In fact, he took up the matter with Lord Linlithgow after he became the Viceroy.  It was due to his persistent efforts  that the then Government allotted the first plot on Parliament Street for setting up the PCI where Transport Bhawan  stands today. However, certain developments led to the land allotment being cancelled.

Eventually the Press Club of India was founded on December 20, 1957 and incorporated as a company on March 10,  1958. It was inaugurated by the then Home Minister Mr G B Pant on February 2, 1959 at the present site. Mr Durga  Dass, the then Editor of The Hindustan Times was elected its first president by common consent. Another veteran  journalist Mr D R Mankekar became the first secretary general of the Club.

In fact, it was on Mr Pant’s intervention that the present premise was allotted to the Club and started functioning  from a small room with a membership of 30. The Government wanted to have the Club housed at the two flats at  Khan Market.

It is enshrined in the PCI constitution that the institution is meant to work for media related activities.