Category Archives: Himachal

Chandigarh, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Haryana, Haryana, Himachal, Punjab

IPL 2026: Highland Group & Punjab Kings Reinforce Partnership Further

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Chandigarh, March 26

Building on a successful first season, Highland Group has continued its partnership with Indian Premier League(IPL) cricket team Punjab Kings as the official real estate partner for IPL 2026—The announcement of continuation of partnership and its further reinforcement, was made during a press conference here, which was addressed by Highland Group’s Directors Vishal Goyal and Harjinder Singh Rangi, who were joined by Satish Menon, CEO of Punjab Kings. 

The group also unveiled ‘The Address of Kings’ campaign, which will bring leading lifestyle and sports creators to experience Highland’s projects before exclusive match-day interactions with players like Shreyas Iyer and Arshdeep Singh during IPL 2026. Details of the group’s upcoming project Highland Mayfields were also shared. 

Speaking at the press conference, Director Vishal Goyal said, “Cricket has been a defining part of my journey, having played at the under-19 Ranji level, and it continues to shape how I view discipline, performance, and teamwork. This association with Punjab Kings is therefore deeply personal as well as strategic. The second-year association brings ‘The Address of Kings’ to life with ultra-luxury living at Highland Mayfields, Mohali. Through ‘The Address of Kings’, we are creating a bridge between the energy of the sport and the lifestyle we are building—one that reflects ambition, passion, and the spirit of Punjab.”

The highlight of the press conference was a peek given to media into Highland Group’s flagship project, Highland Mayfields, which is being positioned as a sports-centric residential development. The event also witnessed the formal launch of a high octane ‘anthem’ specially created by Highland Group for Punjab Kings. 

Goyal emphasized that sports, particularly cricket, are deeply embedded in the philosophy of their flagship project, Highland Mayfields.

Director Harjinder Singh Rangi said, “Our collaboration is growing stronger, season by season. Through this, we aim to integrate the energy of professional sports into our residential ecosystem, making Highland Mayfields not just a place to live, but a vibrant community built around active lifestyles.”

He added, “This tie-up is about more than just two brands coming together—it is about representing Punjab & its culture on a larger stage. As two ‘Made-in-Punjab’ brands, we are building spaces that truly reflect the modern, high-energy identity of our home state.”

Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon, while welcoming the continued partnership, said, “We are delighted to extend our association with Highland Group. Partnerships like these help us deepen our connection with communities and create meaningful engagement beyond the field of cricket,” he said.

The company shared updates on the construction progress at Highland Mayfields, stating that development is progressing steadily as per timelines. Notably, Mayfields is a 15-acre low-density development in Sector 118, Mohali, offering exceptional privacy with just two residences per floor. The project combines the exclusivity of a villa with the advantages of a luxury high-rise. With expansive balconies, premium finishes, and over 85 world-class amenities—including three sprawling clubhouses, rooftop horizon pools, and skyscape gyms—Mayfields delivers a five-star living experience.

Looking ahead, Highland Group will roll out a series of integrated marketing initiatives with Punjab Kings during the IPL season under ‘The Address of Kings’ campaign, combining fan engagement, on-ground activations, and digital initiatives to deepen brand recall and community connect.

Chandigarh, Dehradun, Haryana, Himachal, Punjab

16 Brave-Heart Donor Families Honoured for Impacting 80 Lives through Organ & Tissue Transplantation

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Chandigarh:

In a deeply moving tribute to the spirit of humanity and compassion, 16 brave-heart donor families were honoured at PGIMER for their extraordinary decision to consent to organ donation in the midst of their personal tragedy—an act that has impacted 80 lives, including giving a second lease of life to 52 patients suffering from end-stage organ failure and restoring sight to 28 corneal blind patients through organ and tissue transplantation at PGIMER.

The tribute ceremony was held during the inaugural session of SAMARTHAN 2026, a CME-cum-Workshop on Organ Donation and Transplantation organised by ROTTO North, PGIMER Chandigarh, which witnessed participation by over 200 delegates from the medical fraternity and civil society across the region.

The emotional felicitation saw the entire auditorium rise in a standing ovation, acknowledging the extraordinary courage and generosity of the donor families whose selfless decision transformed personal grief into a gift of life for dozens of patients awaiting transplants.

Paying rich tributes to the donor families, Prof. Vivek Lal, Director PGIMER, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest, said,“PGIMER owes its distinct place in organ transplantation to all the donor families. It would not have been possible to reach this far without the courageous decisions and selfless gestures of these families. There is no metric to measure such a magnanimous gift of life. It is deeply gratifying that the donor families trusted PGIMER with their noblest wish to save others’ lives and that the institute could live up to that trust.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Anil Kumar, Director, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation, New Delhi, who attended as Guest of Honour, said that the only sustainable way to bridge the gap between organ availability and requirement is to create a culture of voluntary deceased organ donation. He emphasised that when society empathizes with patients waiting for organs and pledges for organ donation, countless lives can be saved. He also reiterated NOTTO’s commitment to strengthening awareness initiatives and engaging students as young ambassadors of change.

Lauding the spirit of generosity in the region, Dr. Amarjeet Kaur, Senior Regional Director, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Chandigarh, highlighted that the spirit behind organising Samarthan 2026 is to disseminate correct information and further strengthen the movement for organ donation . She noted that nothing can be more motivating than the presence of brave-heart donor families, whose courageous decisions amidst immense grief inspire hope for thousands of patients waiting for life-saving transplants.

 The brave-heart families honoured on the occasion included those of Sukhwinder Singh, 40 years, from Sunam, Sangrur; Jatinder Singh, 36 years, from Fatehgarh Sahib; Ravinder Singh, 36 years, from Chandigarh; Harpreet Kaur, 17 years, from Bassi Pathana; Navneet Thakur, 23 years, from Kangra;  Major Singh, 54 years, from Rajpura, Patiala;  Parveen Kumar, 44 years, from Panchkula;  Naresh Kumar, 30 years, from Kaithal; and Raveesh Kunwar Malik, 36 years, from Zirakpur.

Also honoured were the families of  Harpinder Singh, 40 years, from Anandpur Sahib; Gurnoor Singh, 18 years, from Ludhiana; and Davinder Singh, 36 years, from Ropar. Additionally, the families of Arshdeep Singh, 18 years; Balwinder Singh, 56 years; Pyar Chand, 44 years; and Biswanath Saw, 44 years from the Indian Army were also honoured for their inspiring contribution.

Earlier, setting the context, Prof. Vipin Koushal, Medical Superintendent PGIMER, Head Department of Hospital Administration and Nodal Officer ROTTO North, stated that the objective of organising Samarthan 2026 is to build further impetus to ROTTO North’s agenda on organ donation while highlighting the critical enablers and coordinated institutional efforts that make organ donation and transplantation possible.

The inaugural session was followed by an academic workshop featuring eminent clinicians and experts, who deliberated on multiple facets of organ transplantation. The sessions focused on strengthening deceased organ donation programmes, improving coordination mechanisms and promoting awareness, leading to engaging discussions and meaningful knowledge exchange among participants.

Chandigarh, Himachal

Himachal Pradesh recognised as “Top Performer” in developing strong startup ecosystem

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New Delhi/Shimla: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, conducted the 5th edition of the States’ Startup Ranking, aimed at encouraging States and Union Territories to take proactive steps towards strengthening startup ecosystems within their respective jurisdictions.

A total of 34 States and Union Territories participated in this edition of the ranking exercise. The results of the States’ Startup Ranking 5.0 were announced at a special awards ceremony organised by DPIIT on 16 January 2026 graced by the Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. During the ceremony, Himachal Pradesh has been recognised as a “Top Performer” in developing a strong startup ecosystem in the state.

In this ceremony, RD Nazeem, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) has been lauded for enabling environment for startups and connecting education institutions with industrial stakeholder, Dr. Yunus, IAS, Commissioner Industries for shaping the startup landscape through visionary initiatives and effective implementation strategies and Deepika Khatri, Joint Director, Industries for her visionary leadership and proactive initiatives, including promoting women-led startups across the State.

The award has been received by Anshul Dhiman, Joint DirectorSWCA Baddi and Deepika Khatri, Joint Director(Industries).The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Govt. of India appreciated following several praiseworthy initiatives of the Department of Industries, Himachal Pradesh:

Hosting 5 incubators offering mentorship and startup support, each funded with Rs 30 lakh (non-recurring) and Rs 10 lakh (recurring) to strengthen operations.

Undertaking 5 state-led initiatives, including pitching sessions to connect startups with investors and support financing.

Offering up to Rs 10 lakh or 75% patent expense reimbursement under its Industrial Investment Policy 2019.

Promoting circular economy startups through research and innovation for sustainability under STIP 2021.

DPIIT, Govt. of India also recognized the state as Institutional Support Pioneer, Infrastructure Support Pathfinder and Market Access & Reach Champion.

On this occasion Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu stated that our government is committed to strengthen startup ecosystem in the state as well as generate employment opportunities to the aspiring entrepreneurs. He further stated that all-round facilities wouldbe provided for existing and new startups through various modes. Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan shared that this recognition of top performers is the outcome of sustained and restless efforts of the Department of Industries. He assured that institutional as well as technical platform would be given to all aspiring startups in future also. RD Nazeem, IAS,Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) apprised that Government is in the mode to connect the startup with angel investor as well as E-commerce companies. The State Government is dedicated to building a robust startup ecosystem by fostering new innovative ideas, offering plug-and-play facilities, facilitating investor connections, providing seed money. Dr. Yunus, IAS, Commissioner Industries informed that present startup ecosystem would be taken to the next level through knowledge & technical based interventions and outreach awareness programs would also be paid attention for inclusive and supportive system. Further, Tilak Raj Sharma, Additional Director (Industries) intimated that state’s startup supportive mechanism has been given recognition since the inception & Startup recognition journey of state from DPIIT started from Aspiring leaders in 2018, Emerging startup ecosystem in 2029, Aspiring Leaders in 2021, Best Performer in 2022 and now “Top performer 2024 in developing a strong startup ecosystem in the state”. He further added that emphasis is also now being laid on promoting rural-based and women-driven startups.

Chandigarh, Himachal

Assam CM inaugurates SJVN’s 70 MW Dhubri Solar Power Project

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Shimla: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarmaon Thursday inaugurated 70 MW Dhubri Solar Power Project of SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL) in the august presence of Prasanta Phukan, Minister of Power, Assam, Bhupender Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, SJVN, Dr. Krishna Kumar Dwivedi, ACS (Energy) & Chairman, APDCL, Rakesh Kumar, Managing Director, APDCL, Ajay Kumar Sharma, Director (Personnel), SJVN along with other senior officials from the Government of Assam and SJVN. On the occasion, Bhupender Gupta expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visionary leadership. He also extended his gratitude to Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Minister of New & Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi, the Government of India and the Government of Assam, for their guidance and support in execution of the project and for other ongoing and upcoming projects in the State. He further stated that completion of the project underscores company’s commitment to expanding renewable energy capacity in the region and reinforcing its dedication to achieving national objectives of energy security and sustainability.

 Ajay Kumar Sharma highlighted that the Dhubri Solar Power Project, in addition to generating direct and indirect employment for local communities during both the development and operational phases, will significantly strengthen Assam’s renewable energy portfolio through the supply of clean and green electricity. The 70 MW Dhubri Solar Power Project has been developed by SGEL on 330 acres of land provided by Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) on a 28-year lease basis at Village Khudigaon Pt-II, Bilasipara Revenue Circle, District Dhubri, Assam. The project was awarded to SGEL by APDCL on 16 February 2023 through a tariff-based competitive bidding process at a tariff of Rs.3.92 per unit. The EPC cost of the project stands at Rs.367.44 crore. The Project is designed to generate 141.13 million units of electricity in its first year at a Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF) of 23%, with an estimated cumulative generation of approximately 3,230 MU over 25 years. The project is expected to result in a reduction of approximately 1,58,270 tonnes of carbon emissions. This Project is first large-scale solar project in the state of Assam and also SJVN first operational project in North Eastern Region. The foundation stone of the project was virtually laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 04 March 2024.