The Administrator Felicitates Students of Chandigarh College of Architecture, Calls for Excellence and Innovation
The Administrator Calls Upon CCA Faculty and Students to Aim for Number-One Position
Chandigarh, October 6, 2026:The Governor of Punjab and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, today attended the annual convocation and grand finale of the Le Corbusier Festival of Architecture at Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA), marking the 10th anniversary of the inclusion of Le Corbusier’s architectural works on the UNESCO World Heritage List. He urged young architects to design in harmony with nature, make better use of green spaces and adopt eco-friendly practices while preserving Chandigarh’s unique architectural heritage.
The Administrator, accompanied by Chief Secretary, U.T. Chandigarh, Shri H. Rajesh Prasad; Education Secretary Ms. Prerna Puri; Director, Higher Education, Ms. Palika Arora; and Principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture, Dr. Sangeeta Bagga Mehta, planted two saplings and toured the College.
Shri Kataria felicitated six Master of Architecture students and 37 Bachelor of Architecture students with their degrees and honoured 12 scholarship recipients. The Le Corbusier Gold Medal for Best All-Rounder and Government Gold Medal for B.Arch. (2021–2026) were awarded to Mr. Mauraya Mahajan, while Ms. Khanak Goyal received the Pierre Jeanneret Gold Medal for Thesis Topper and Government Silver Medal for B.Arch. (2021–2026). The Government Gold Medal for M.Arch. (2024–2026) was awarded to Ms. Sonali Tomar.
The Administrator congratulated the students on their achievements and wished them a bright and successful future, urging them to use their knowledge and skills to contribute meaningfully to society. He also emphasised the need to introduce a Ph.D. programme at the College to strengthen its academic profile, improve its national ranking and enhance its contribution to Chandigarh’s development.
Describing Chandigarh as a “living laboratory” for young architects, the Administrator called upon them to develop practical solutions to challenges such as traffic, population growth, water management and environmental protection. He stressed the importance of heritage conservation, affordable housing and accessible public spaces, and urged students to ensure that their architectural practices remain in harmony with nature and green spaces.
Highlighting the College’s legacy, Shri Kataria said that it was established on August 7, 1961, at the initiative of Le Corbusier as part of the Chandigarh Project. Praising its consistent position among the top three architecture institutions since 2012, he encouraged the faculty and students to work together to take the College to the number-one position through excellence, innovation and continuous growth.
He called for stronger collaborations with national and international institutions and greater opportunities for students to learn through heritage walks, school programmes and practical urban development projects. He said these initiatives could help the College emerge as a leading centre of learning, research and innovation, contributing to Chandigarh’s future development and the vision of Viksit Bharat.
The Administrator appreciated the College’s contribution to city planning, heritage conservation, research and documentation, including its role in preparing the documents for UNESCO recognition of the Capitol Complex and reports on the conservation of the World Heritage Site. He also highlighted its research work for Union Government ministries, including the documentation of flooring designs at Rashtrapati Bhavan, published in two volumes titled Interpreting Geometries: Flooring of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Earlier, in her welcome address, Principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture, Dr. Sangeeta Bagga Mehta, highlighted the various activities organised under the 12-day Festival of Architecture and the active participation of the city. She said the festival provided students and citizens opportunities to explore environment-friendly construction practices through workshops on bamboo, cob and shallow domes, besides interactions with architects, artists and printmakers. She also highlighted the significance of commemorating the 10th anniversary of the inclusion of Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex among the 17 World Heritage Sites of Le Corbusier and said that students conducted guided walks of the Capitol Complex for citizens, schoolchildren and youth to promote greater awareness of Chandigarh’s architectural and cultural heritage.