The CALCUTTA ROWING CLUB, was founded in 1858 and is probably one of the oldest Rowing Clubs of its kind outside the U.K and is certainly the oldest in the east of Suez. Just how its formation took place has been lost to history, in great cyclone which hit Calcutta in 1864,during which the boat house and the boats, together with the minute books, and records disappeared. The only things preserved, were the Accounts of 1858-59 signed by Mr.John Cowle, as the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, and he goes down in history as the first officer on record. In these records it is noted that a six oared boat was purchased for Rs 300 and the following year a ‘Four’ was imported from Hong-Kong for a sum of Rs. 448. After the cyclone a temporary thatched roof boat house was built in1861, on the banks of the Hooghly near Chand pal Ghat, the Regatta course was 1 mile from Fort Point to Shalimar or from Shalimar to Botanical Gardens.
In 1864 the Club colours of Blue and White wear adopted. In 1869 , the first races against Madras Boat Club took place on Hooghly in ‘Fours’ and was won by C.R.C by three lengths. About this time , the first sliding seat was brought to Calcutta by C.G. Norman who claimed to be its inventor. In 1882 the site at Fort Point had to be abandoned and subsequently a permanent boat house was built at Strand Road in 1889 and later was transferred to the Kidderpore docks and once in1906 it was even relocated at the Boat Channel at Majerhat. In 1901 C.R.C. was affiliated to the Amateur Rowing Association and in 1923 the Club went for its first international tournament in Rangoon and won the famed Burma Bowl. In the same year it became affiliated to the London Rowing Club.
With the construction of the Dhakuria Lake in 1928, the club moved to its present location- 15 Rabindra Sarobar, Calcutta-700029, India . CRC has maintained its outstanding position in the rowing scene and from 1979 won the ARAE, the WBRA and the Head of Lake trophies - a stream of unique successes which no rowing club in the East has yet been able to achieve. Some of the important tournaments of the Club are listed below :
| Name of Tournament | Year of Inception | Statistics |
| Merchant's Cup | 1926 | |
| Hooghly Cup | 1928 | |
| Barrackpore Row | 1930 | |
| ARAE | 1933 | |
| Head of Lakes (HOL) | 1933 | |
