Bridging interests

Club culture

Why join different groups when you can get everything under one roof? If you a person looking for variety, then ‘Bangalore Fundo Club’ is the place for you. The high-energy crowd here is up for everything from travelling to pubbing.

The club, the brainchild of Sudha K, was influenced by the concept of meetups. “I realised there were numerous clubs in the city and being a part of many of them for different things was close to impossible.

Thus I came up with this platform where one can do almost everything under the sun,” she says.

The club was named ‘Fundo’ as she wanted the members to have fun in everything they do. It meets almost every weekend and picks out activities based on the interactions that happen on their social media page.

“From dining to just sitting and chatting, one should enjoy whatever they do,” says Sudha, a telecommunication professional. “The group has become a big family now. I get calls from members when they are feeling low or have some really good news to share, even at midnight,” she adds.

From coordinating events to participating in them, Dinesh Maligachar, a co-founder who works in an IT firm, finds the club a rejuvenating experience. “Be it carpooling or getting accommodation arranged
for a weekend getaways, I’ve learnt to be more organised. We’ve gone to many places like Wayanad, Ooty, Gokarna, Hampi and even Goa. I’ve been passionate about riding and getting a chance to travel more seemed exciting to me,” he elaborates.

From pubbing at ‘District 6’ to discussing about the next trip, the club likes its variety. “We have members from various fields like IT and business and this keeps the thought process very
dynamic,” he adds.

The best part is that there are no restrictions, feels Santhosh Iyengar, a young professional. He says, “The members of the group know what they are looking for. It is a great space to show your talent as well as encourage others to take up new and interesting activities.”

One doesn’t need to be recommended by another member to be a part of the club, he adds.

For Binu Balakrishnan, a mechanical engineer, getting out of his comfort zone was important and that’s what made the club “the right place to be in”.

“I’m an introvert and I found it challenging to be social. This club cuts across  barriers and has a jovial bunch of people who go out of their way to make one feel comfortable,” he says.

Binu admits to getting bitten by the travel bug after becoming a part of this group. “I’d not travelled much earlier but after joining this bunch, I have started exploring new places and love meeting new people. I have also learnt the knacks of photography from some members in the club,” he elaborates.

Pinky Batool, a young professional, was new to the city when she heard about ‘Fundo’. “All the trips I’ve had with Sudha have turned out be really fun and entertaining. We have all learnt more about the city and the things going on here,” she says.

Seshadri K, a senior executive with the BPO sector who comes to the events with wife Vaishali, says that from connecting to the reality of life to having fun, the club has taught him a lot.

Seshadri, who is also a co-founder, says, “Meeting new people has its own challenges and while plans can backfire, staying calm throughout is the key. This is something the club has taught me. Moreover, the club has changed me from a shy person to a more confident version of myself.”

(The club can be reached at [e-mail])