Probus was a Roman emperor who is still famous for growing wine. The club, though not named eponymously, does evince a few wine-like characteristics. For one, admittance begins at 60, and given that the modal age is currently 75, they seem to be getting better with age. The oldest member currently is 92 years old.
Probus began as an offshoot of
Rotary Club, for retiree members who wanted to keep up the camaraderie and fellowship of Rotary. The club in Hyderabad seems to be doing an eminently good job of it. Promoted by Rotary of Hyderabad North and Jubilee Hills, it has about 30 members today. It manages to remain an exclusive club given that members do rather detailed checks before inviting new members.
Service activities and attending meetings are optional for Probians, as opposed to for Rotarians. But the Hyderabadi Probus has set up an old-age day care center, and hived it off as an independent entity with a management consisting of quite a few Probians. A powerful forum that they are, they have obtained various concessions from private hospitals and individual practitioners for elderly people as well as put forth requests for IT reductions and other privileges, to the Finance Minister.
The Probians gather every week at the
ITC Kakatiya Sheraton for talks by various eminent personalities in areas like health care, current affairs etc. On the last Sunday of the month, they typically meet for a picnic to various resorts.
The member comittee has many distinguished ex-civil-servants and businessmen such as the Chairperson of Brittania and the Director of CBDT.