The Hindu community and Seth Ramgopal Gourdhanandh Mohatta contributed money for construction of the building, which was completed in 1925. The building's condition deteriorated over the years, and it was almost demolished in 1984. It was protected by the intervention of the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan. The Hindu Gymkhana now houses Pakistan's National Academy of Performing Arts and is run by its chief Zia Mohyeddin - a prominent stage and Pakistani television personality.
Architecture
The building was designed by architect Agha Ahmed Hussain, with a design based on the tomb of Itamad-ud-Daulah in Agra. The building is small in size and consists primarily of a hall and some smaller rooms used for administrative purposes. Stone for the walls was acquired in Bijapur. The roof line is defined by delicate massing of cupolas and balustrades directly influenced by Akbar's Fatehpur Sikri. The octagonal corner towers framing the projecting central jharoka are capped with chattris, highlighting the influence of Rajasthani Style of Palaces. Smaller chattris highlight the corners of the projecting porch that carry the drooping bangladar roof used in Emperor Akbar's period. The projecting chajjas are supported by ornamental brackets. The cupolas of the chattris are reinforced concrete and the walls are dressed in Gizri stone. Some of the carved elements are of Jodhpur stone.
This historic building is widely considered to be an architectural gem in Karachi and is protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Therefore, nobody is allowed to carry out new construction, repairs, renovations in this building without the approval of Karachi Building Control Authority and the Government of Sindh. Surprisingly a historical building like this had deteriorated due to lack of maintenance in the recent past and was going to be demolished in 1984 but the Heritage Foundation Pakistan back then intervened to save it.
Relocation of NAPA ordered
In December 2018, The Supreme Court of Pakistan had directed the Sindh government to shift NAPA to another location from this Hindu Gymkhana building but, as of 11 February 2020, compliance to this directive could not be made and NAPA was still functioning there.
