Chandigarh citizens forum to celebrate talent, experience & city spirit

It was a rare sight in Chandigarh — a room filled with some of the region’s most accomplished citizens, united not by profession or politics but by purpose. Retired generals, bureaucrats, artists, entrepreneurs and educators stood shoulder to shoulder as they launched the Chandigarh Citizens Foundation (CCF) — a new movement to make civic participation the city’s greatest strength.

The foundation, an ambitious new platform that seeks to harness the talent, experience and civic spirit of the Tricity’s residents to create a more sustainable, equitable and participatory urban community, was formally launched with the unveiling of its website by General VP Malik (retd), former Chief of Army Staff, who now leads the CCF as its president.

“This city has always had talented, socially conscious people. What we lacked was a collective platform — a forum where people can connect, collaborate and act together for the public good,” General Malik told The Tribune.

The organisation’s vice-president is Vini Mahajan, a former Chief Secretary of Punjab, while Balamurugan, a serving IAS officer, has been named the honorary general secretary.

Following the launch, the CCF Governing Council, led by General Malik, met Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria to brief him about the foundation’s vision and objectives. During the meeting, Kataria released the CCF’s maiden publication and assured the UT Administration’s full support for any public-interest initiatives undertaken under its banner.

To steer its activities, the CCF has constituted 12 subject-wise focus groups on key areas, including health and well-being, national security and international affairs, music, literature and the arts, science and technology, conscious leadership and business, economic growth and sustainable development, sustainable urban development, urban planning and architecture, tourism, education, sports, and women empowerment and social welfare.

More than 200 professionals have already volunteered to join these focus groups and are preparing plans for upcoming events, workshops and outreach programmes.

The CCF Governing Council brings together an array of respected figures from public life: General VP Malik (retd), former Chief of Army Staff, president; Vini Mahajan, a retired IAS officer and former Chief Secretary, Punjab, vice-president; Balamurugan, Additional Chief Secretary, Punjab, honorary general secretary; Dr KK Talwar, Padma Bhushan recipient, cardiologist and former PGIMER Director; RI Singh, retired IAS officer, Padma Shri recipient and former Chief Secretary, Punjab; Rajinder Gupta, Padma Shri recipient, industrialist and Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party nominee for Rajya Sabha; Neelam Mansingh, Padma Shri recipient and theatre personality; Samant Goel ex-IPS officer and former RAW Chief; Keshni Anand Arora, a retired IAS officer and former Chief Secretary, Haryana; Prof Arun Grover, former Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University; and ML Sarin, senior advocate and former Advocate General of Punjab and Haryana.

“The CCF is not an institution but a movement,” Malik said. “It is a citizens’ effort — non-political, voluntary and inclusive — meant to bring together minds and hearts that want to make a difference.”

The foundation also aims to conduct research and policy studies and partner with institutions working on similar goals of sustainable development and civic innovation.

From exploring sustainable architecture to nurturing conscious leadership in business, from empowering women to reviving civic culture, the foundation’s agenda is broad, but its spirit is simple: to make citizenship active again.

Its newly launched website — www.chandigarhcitizensfoundation.com — invites residents to register, volunteer and contribute ideas. With the kind of start it has had, many believe the CCF could become a model of how citizens can reclaim ownership of their city’s destiny, together.