Chandigarh:
In a significant public outreach initiative, PGIMER, Chandigarh organized activities on the occasion of *“Veer Baal Diwas“* at the Advanced Paediatric Centre (APC), PGIMER, on 26 December 2025. The celebrations were organized for children admitted to APC as well as those visiting the hospital.
A range of child-friendly and inclusive activities were conducted including drawing and colouring and poetry recitation competitions, which witnessed enthusiastic participation from children aged 6 to 12 years.
The event was held in the esteemed presence of *Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, Prof. Ashok Kumar, Acting Medical Superintendent, Prof. Praveen Kumar, HoD, Pediatrics, and Dr. Mahesh Devnani, Joint Medical Superintendent*. Speaking on the occasion *Prof. Lal remembered the martyrdom of Sahibzadas and reminded that India is a nation built on sacrifice and courage.* He emphasized that their bravery inspires society to uphold strong cultural and moral values, and highlighted the role of parents in guiding children by instilling good values and character. Dr Ashok Kumar thanked all the participants for their enthusiastic participation.
The drawing competition saw participation from 75 children aged 6 to 12 years, including children visiting the APC outpatient department, admitted patients, and children of PGIMER staff. The poetry recitation competition witnessed enthusiastic participation from 50 children, who demonstrated remarkable confidence, effective oratory skills, and deep sensitivity while presenting poems on various themes.
The Drawing and Colouring Competition winners were Vihaan (11 years), Naman (11 years), and Aavya (9 years), who secured the first, second, and third prizes respectively. The Poetry Competition, which saw an exceptionally high standard of participation, recognized seven outstanding winners who displayed remarkable depth and expression beyond their years. The winners were Nairiti (8 years), Jamisha (10 years), Sunidhi (11 years), Hiyan (6 years), Aprityam Roy (11 years), Jancy Nyol (9 years), and Khavya Sharma (10 years). The competitions were expertly judged by Prof. Jayshree M., Dr. Aastha Takkar, and Dr. Narinder Kumar, who praised all participants for their creativity, skill, and passion.
The celebration of Veer Baal Diwas concluded as a resounding success, marked by smiling faces, excitement, and renewed confidence among the children, values they will carry forward as the Veer Baal of India.
